Will Syria’s Kurds Succeed at Self-sufficiency?

GAZIANTEP — Most Syrian cities are reeling under the effects of the ongoing civil war, which has naturally dealt a blow to the local and national economies. Amid the conflict, the Kurdish-controlled areas of Jazira, Kobani and Afrin in the north are attempting to become economically self-sufficient, but receiving goods, including raw materials and medicines, from inside Syria is a struggle. Traders control the market entirely, deciding on shipments and setting prices at will,

A Pioneering Poultry Project for Rojava

The Poultry Project in Hasakah [Hesekê / Hesîçe / Al-Hasakah] is aiming to raise about 18,000 chickens every three months, which will produce about 72 tons of chicken meat per year. This will meet the needs of Jazira Canton [Kantona Cizîrê‎ / Cezîre] for meat. This level of meat production used to be met by the local poultry farms that were spread around the

Shengaliyah Village, an Example of Co-operation

Starting with the principle of communal life and participation, the people of Shengaliyah in the area of Rajo, in Afrin Canton [Kantona Efrînê‎ / Afrîn], have started preparing to open a hall for celebration parties and funeral ceremonies. One of the people of the village donated a piece of land with an area of 3,000 square meters,

Shehîd Hamo Coop Harvests Crops

The members of the Shehîd Hamo Agricultural Co-operative in Tal Hames started harvesting their barley crops. This co-operative provides additional income to 27 families. Shehîd Hamo Agricultural Co-operative was formed last September. 27 people participated, and each paid 27,000 SYP [Syrian Pounds] for a share. The co-operative started planting barley on 535 dunams [decares] of agricultural land. The

Coops in the Kurdish Movement, an Emancipation Tool for Women

Coops in the Kurdish Movement, an Emancipation Tool for Women. Two Testimonies. Following the adoption of the democratic confederalism paradigm by the PKK in 2005 as a continuity in the political evolution begun in the nineties, the legal Kurdish movement in Northern Kurdistan (Turkey) began a process of autonomization from the Turkish State. Legal Kurdish Parties

A New Co-operative Shop Opens in Afrin

Six people in Qestel Xidir village in the area of Bulbul have opened a co-operative society in co-ordination with the Centre for Economic Development. The shop will satisfy people’s needs for food and cleaning products in the surrounding villages. Each participant is paying 3,000 SYP [Syrian Pounds], and the shop’s rent is 5,000 SYP per month. Two people are working

Teachers Co-operatives in Qamishlo

The fourth conference of the Teachers’ Union in Jazira [Kantona Cizîrê‎ / Cezîre] finished with important decisions, including granting teachers special health care services at lower prices, and forming special cooperative societies for the Union. The conference was held in the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering in Rojava University under the banner, “With the Teachers’ Union we will achieve unity

Discussions on the Second Day of the First Conference for Cooperative in North Syria

The Conference continued in its second day with more discussions and evaluations of the cooperatives. The conference started on 21 October in Derik [Dêrik / Al-Malikiyah], Qamishlo with 200 attendees. It was held under the banner, “The cooperatives will be the foundation of society in Northern Syria”. The members of cooperative societies shared their opinions about cooperatives. Each member

Co-operatives Send Letter of Solidarity to Syria’s Rojava

CO-OPERATIVES in Britain have sent solidarity to their counterparts in northern Syria to celebrate the region’s first ever co-operative conference. A statement signed by 35 British co-operatives, including Co-operatives UK and bakers’ union BFAWU was sent to the new Unions of Co-operatives movement in the semi-autonomous region known by Kurds as Rojava. The movement has

The First Conference for Cooperatives Finishes with Important Decisions

Many important decisions were made at the First Conference for Co-operatives in North-Syria, which was held in Paradise Restaurant in Derik [Dêrik / Al-Malikiyah] city, in the province of Qamishlo. The conference was held under the slogan “Co-operatives will be the foundation of society in North Syria.” The conference was attended by almost 200 members from the three cantons in northern Syria.

The Economy has Improved and Self-Sufficiency Achieved with Development of Communes and Cooperatives

The cooperative societies in Tirbespiye [Tirbespî / Al-Qahtaniyah] have contributed to improving the economy and include big segments of the society, with women being most of the participants. This is thanks to the communes from which the cooperative societies were formed. Since the start of the formation of communes in Rojava – North Syria, the people of