Monday October 21, 2013 Humanitarian visit to Sidreh in Laquia in the Negev

We visited Sidreh in Laqia, Negev, the southern part of Israel. Sidreh is an organization to help women.  They sell products that are made by Bedouin women to help raise the Bedouin living standard. In the Bedouin community, 35% of women live in polygamy.

There are 35 unrecognized Bedouin villages in Israel with 12 applying to get recognition. Recognized villages get some government services, but not as much as Israeli towns. Many villages don't want to become recognized.   While some services are provided to recognized villages, there is little done to provide employment opportunities so the unemployment rate is high, crime rate is high, drug use is high. This is not appealing to the unrecognized villages where people can at least raise animals and crops for themselves. Getting public transportation in unrecognized villages is difficult.

 It is hard for organizations like Sidreh to get government funding. The funding is available if the organization has a building with water, electricity, plumbing, etc. But they don't have the money to upgrade the building so they can qualify for funding. 

Seventy percent of Sidreh's products are sold in their store in Laqia. Tourist buses stop there. It is interesting to see how our inability to get along hurts the economy. When there was talk of invading Syria earlier this year, many of the tours cancelled, so Sidreh's sales dropped off dramatically. 

 

Khadra, on the left, was born in Rahat, a recognized village of 45,000 people - 25% Bedouin and 75% Jewish. She is a Bedouin and she is the director of Sidreh. She is educated and well spoken. 

Heidi, on the right, is from Mexico. She has lived in Israel for 12 years, helping with organizations like Sidreh.  She lives in Nazareth.

This rug is one of the products Sidreh makes and sells in their Laqia store.