Partner Women’s Associations within the Women’s Economic Empowerment Project Sign an MOU with Myriam for Marketing

In a ceremony attended by board presidents and members of producing women’s groups and cooperatives in the areas of Bethlehem and Hebron, the National Director of the YWCA of Palestine and a number of its staff, and local media, a memorandum of understanding  was signed between the aforementioned associations and Myriam to market their products in the local market according to health requirements and approved production conditions to ensure quality production and that healthy local products are delivered to consumers. 

Myriam is a marketing company run by a group of Palestinian young women who participated in different activities within the economic empowerment program of the YWCA of Palestine. Through their involvement, they have provided different business management services to producing women’s associations the program targets. From the projects implemented by the association in the south of the West Bank and the different market studies done, an idea emerged to establish a specialized body with the aim of delivering local healthy food products that the different women’s produce to the local market with equal opportunities away from unfair competition of imported products made without regard for the simplest hygiene rules in terms of excess use of colorants and preservatives.   

In recent years, there has been a growing demand within the Palestinian market for healthy and home-made preservative-free products. Most of these products are produced by women’s groups and small projects who lack the needed marketing skills. The Palestinian market lacks marketing projects that target the products of women’s cooperatives while local traders don’t’ do them justice. 

Hence, the idea of establishing Myriam presented itself. Myriam provides marketing services for local women’s groups and cooperatives through its social media channels and sales points across the West Bank. All products are sold under the name of Myriam after obtaining permission from the producer. Myriam team is responsible for introducing potential customers to the products and displaying them in the best possible way in terms of packaging and safety. 

The products marketed by Myriam are hand-made and preservatives-free, including labneh balls with olive oil, stuffed eggplants (Makdous), olives, grape products, hawthorn molasses, jams, honey and some types of pickles.