Employment project
Karma (كرمة) is the Arabic word for vine. The Karma Center of the Presbyterian Church in Minya is an employment project for widowed or, for whatever reason, single women. Here, the women are taught a skill (sewing, baking, hair cutting, etc.), including buying materials and selling products. This allows them to earn some income.
The training sessions are opened and closed with prayer and scripture reading.
There are four training sessions a year (for about three months, three days a week), and each session is attended by about 40 women (so each year, about 200 women participate in this project)
Experience story
Ms. Eman Sreig participated in this project. She is 35 and the mother of 2 boys (Youssef, 18 years, and Hany, 12 years). We asked her a few questions.
How did you find out about this project?
I heard about this project from the women in my village, and I asked my husband to help me with the procedures for getting the loan; indeed, he helped and encouraged me.
What is the purpose of this project?
It is a clothing project; besides that, I have expanded the project, and now I sell clothes, slippers, shoes, and school supplies.
What is the impact of this project?
I was financially unable to support my family. Now I have a steady monthly income that I spend on my home and my children. It has helped us immensely to live a decent life.
What is your average monthly income?
The income is not fixed but is around 3,000 Egyptian pounds per month (about €100 per month)
Why did you choose the clothing project?
I chose the clothing project because I knew that only a few people buy and sell clothes. Besides, I love trading, and I love dealing with merchants who buy clothes. I started the project with a small amount of clothes, and God blessed me, and now the project has grown bigger.
How did you develop the project?
I was afraid of being responsible for managing a project and trading. Still, I encouraged myself and started buying clothes, shoes, bags, and school supplies. God was beside me, and there were also people encouraging me; besides, my financial need prompted me to do this, and the reason was to remain independent and improve the situation of my home and my children.
Self-employed women
All necessary materials are purchased for these women through this project.
In this way, Christian women can generate income by selling their products. It is nice to see that by generating income, families have more stability to grow.
“God was beside me, helping me to remain independent and improve the situation of my home and my children.”