In the Sakhra area of Ajloun Governorate, where mountains embrace clouds and the earth pulsates with the life of the Jordanian countryside, the march of the um Lulu Women’s Cooperative Society was launched in 2008. This cooperative was started by a group of women entrepreneurs headed by Mrs. Sumaya Momani, to be a beacon of economic and social empowerment of rural women in the region.
Breakthrough and challenges
At its inception, the cooperative faced great challenges represented in poor funding, lack of training opportunities, and limited awareness of the local community of the importance of organized women’s work. But with the determination of its institutions and their sincere desire for change, the association began its first steps with small projects centered on dementia, weaving, and embroidery.
Expansion and development work
Over time, the cooperative expanded its scope of work to include family and social awareness and counseling programs, opening its doors to girls and women in the region to teach them new skills that enhance their economic independence. The cooperative also realized the importance of sustainable development, so it started implementing revolving loan projects in the fields of water harvesting, renewable energy, and water saving, which contributed to raising environmental awareness among the local community and improving the living conditions of beneficiary families.
Societal impact
In seventeen years, the cooperative has made a tangible difference in the lives of hundreds of women. It has contributed to empowering women economically and socially, stimulating their entrepreneurial spirit, and providing a platform for continuous learning and production, making it a role model for women’s cooperative work at the level of Ajloun Governorate.
Future Vision
um Lulu Women’s Cooperative Society aspires to expand its activities in the fields of rural tourism and marketing handicrafts electronically, and to establish a permanent center for training and production, in order to enhance its presence as an active institution in local and community development.
