Kongreya Star is the umbrella structure of the entire women’s movement in Rojava. They are mainly active in initiating and supporting women-only cooperatives. This interview was carried out in March of 2016 and has recently been uncovered. Could you tell us a bit about who you are and what you do here? Here in this
A women’s agricultural cooperative in Qamishlo [Qamişlo / Qamishli / Al-Qamishli] finished its harvest and the dividends will be distributed equally among the all the members. The cooperative planted 420 hectares of agricultural land in Qamisho, of which 180 hectares was in the village of Himo that belongs to Qamishlo. 70 hectares of land were planted with
With the success of the system of agricultural cooperative societies in Hasakah [Hesekê / Hesîçe / Al-Hasakah], the Agricultural Committee is working to develop them in preparation for the coming agricultural season. The siege that has been imposed on the regions of Northern Syria by Turkey, the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the terrorist groups is preventing
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Manbij [Minbic / Mumbuj] has been working to open three projects that will help the development of society, create job opportunities, curb monopoly and reduce unemployment. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which belongs to the Economic Committee in Manbij, is preparing to form three cooperative societies to operate a
The Women’s Committee in the People’s Council has been supporting agriculture and planning to implement more agricultural projects managed by women. Among the many projects of the Women’s Committee in the People’s Council in Hasakah [Hesekê / Hesîçe / Al-Hasakah] is an agricultural project in the Al-Mufti neighbourhood of Hasakah. The project started six months ago, and
The Families of Martyrs Committee in Amuda [Amûdê / Amouda] have established Nowruz Cooperative for pickle production, after obtaining all the necessary equipment for the factory. Their aim is to develop the communal economy and help the families of martyrs. Nowruz is in south of Amuda, on the road that connects it with Hasakah [Hesekê / Hesîçe / Al-Hasakah]. 2000
Members of the Women’s Association for Training and Awareness Raising in the Baydeen neighbourhood in eastern Aleppo have opened a project for the production of cleaning products in order to develop the women’s economy and to create jobs for as many women as possible, to help them become independent and self-reliant. Women in eastern Aleppo lived through terrible
The Economic Committee and the Committee on Finance in Kobanî [Kobanê / Ayn al-Arab] distributed mazut coupons to the owners of harvester trucks to start harvesting in the region. The Agricultural Committee held a meeting with the owners of harvester trucks at the beginning of May to discuss harvesting the crops in the region, in coordination with
The people of Fars al-Ghanam village in the countryside of eastern Manbij have formed a co-operative society to run an electric generator in co-ordination with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Economic Committee in Manbij.
Many members who participated in The First Conference of Women’s Economy in North Syria mentioned that women are increasingly participating in economic life, building and improving the communal economy, which in turn benefits society and helps meet people’s needs. 150 delegates participated in the conference from both Kobane [Kobanî] and Jazira [Cizîrê / Cezîre] Cantons, and also from Manbij [Minbic /
The Administration of Agricultural Cooperatives in Hasakah [Hesekê / Hesîçe / Al-Hasakah] announced a tender for harvesting the crops of cooperative societies. The Administration had allocated 13,000 dunams [decares] of agricultural land in the regions of East Dam, West Dam and the village of Bahiah for the planting of barley by agricultural cooperatives in which hundreds of
Out of repression has emerged one of the world’s most interesting experiments in democracy. And by democracy, what is meant is not the formal capitalist variety of elections every few years in which consumption of consumer products is substituted for participation in societal decisions. Surrounded on all sides by hostile forces intent on destroying them,
