Poor Tunisian families are looking forward to brighter futures, thanks to an Islamic Relief project launched in March.
In the southern province of Kebili, agriculture is central to the local economy, but nearly 142 greenhouses were destroyed by storms last spring.
Production fell by 90 per cent and 160 farmers and daily labourers were left without an income. Food prices in the province have risen as fruits and vegetables now need to be brought from the north.
Islamic Relief is providing poor farmers – who rent the land as part of a government scheme – with materials to repair their greenhouses.
They will also receive essential seeds and fertilisers so they can begin growing fruit and vegetables once more.
A decent living for poor families
Currently, 20 per cent of working-age people in Kebili are unemployed – topping the national average. In the remote district of Faouar and five other Kebili districts, almost 600 families have no reliable source of income.
Islamic Relief will therefore also work with poor families in one of the poorest districts, to help them to earn a decent living. They will receive technical training and the materials they need to set up small enterprises including livestock rearing and handicrafts.
In addition, young people will benefit from vocational training designed to improve their employability or allow them to work for themselves. Training will be offered in IT, electrical mechanics, and welding – and participants will be equipped with the basic tools to get them started.
The project – which is scheduled to complete early next year – will benefit 130 families in the districts of Faouar and Kebili.
Islamic Relief has been operating in Tunisia since 2011 primarily as a response to the influx of refugees during the Libya crisis. Since registering an office in Tunisia in 2012, Islamic Relief has set up and managed camps on the Tunisian border and provided humanitarian services to over 15,000 vulnerable people. In addition, we have implemented projects in health, water and sanitation, food security and education sectors as well as supporting capacity building of local associations.