Mezopotamya Bakery

The co-operative society Hevgirtin opened Mezopotamya Bakery, which is half automated, from the profits that were made by the agricultural projects in the years 2015 and 2016. The participants in the agricultural societies planted barley in 60,000 dunams (decares) of land, and had 1,250 members, each of whom has received a dividend of 253,000 SYP. According to the internal system of co-operatives, 15% of profits are sent to the Centre of Co-operatives to help other co-operatives. Each member participated with a contribution of 33,000 SYP to open the bakery.

After several meetings held in the region, it was realised that the region needs a bakery. The number of participants in the bakery project was 700, but according to the internal system of co-operatives, the number of participants should be from 6 to 60 members because the large number of participants does not give a lot of benefit to people. The dividends have reached 9,500,000 SYP.

There are seven members who work in the bakery, three women and four men. The bakery produces two tons and 700 kg of bread. The monthly dividend is estimated about 1,100,000 SYP. The bread is sold to the people directly.

At the start of opening the bakery ten pieces of flat bread was sold for 200 SYP.

Fawaz Ahmed, an administrator of the Serekaniye bakery, works from 2pm until 9pm.

Mezopotamya is one of the most successful bakery projects, and it has many members.

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Currently, North and East Syria (NES) faces enormous economic difficulties: rampant inflation, a partial embargo, war and the draining of resources by occupying Turkish forces in Sere Kaniye, Tel Abyad and Afrin. In this crisis context, NES is developing an economic model which aims at self-sufficiency and sustainability. The economic program of the Autonomous Administration

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“The co-operative societies in Serekaniye are based on social, co-operative and communal principles. They are not established only to make profits, and for that reason the administrators of the co-operative societies form meetings and seminars with the participants in the villages and cities, in order to raise awareness and introduce the ideas of co-operatives to the people. It is important to rely on small businesses and encourage participation in co-ops. The organisers in those meetings and seminars also get a chance to listen to the complaints and the needs of the people.”