Aug, 2025
Rawaa and Ahmad’s Story of Hope and Resilience in Akkar
On the winding road to El-Sindiyaneh, a small village in Akkar, Lebanon, nature reveals itself in all its untouched beauty. Fittingly, the name of the village means “the Oak Tree.” A rich ecological diversity spans rolling hills, wetlands, and rising mountains.. Within this landscape we met Rawaa and Ahmad Fayyad, a couple whose love for each other, their children, and their land is as deep as the roots of the plants they nurture.
When Rawaa married Ahmad, she discovered that they owned a large plot of land that had never been cultivated.
“When I asked him why he didn’t plant it, he said no one had ever taught him. That’s when our journey began — a road of trial and error, where we learned together how to grow. I even raised my children to love agriculture,” Rawaa recalls.
Without a steady income, the couple’s livelihood depended entirely on what the land could produce. “Before the greenhouse, our production was limited, even though the soil was fertile,” Ahmad says. Their dedication was firm, but resources and knowledge were scarce.
"I even raised my children to love agriculture."
Everything they earned was invested in the education of their two children (now 13 and 14), making every harvest vital.
That changed when Anera installed a greenhouse on their land.
“Our income increased drastically. For the first time in 10 years, I was able to buy a washing machine and start paying for a fridge in installments. I had been living without these basic appliances for a decade,” Rawaa says with satisfaction.
To boost production, they purchased a battery-powered pesticide sprayer, a major upgrade from the manual tools they had used for years.
With the greenhouse income, Rawaa also paid off long-standing loans, including school fees and overdue pharmacy bills. “We can finally afford our medicine now,” she said. “I have clear priorities for this income, and my children understand how important it is to spend wisely.”
Ahmad puts his full effort into the greenhouses, knowing that they are his family’s future.
Inside the greenhouse, vibrant red tomatoes grow lush and plentiful. “These are my pride and joy, the pride of our entire family. Even my children love being here. Thanks to Amani [Anera’s agricultural engineer] the yield is impressive in both quality and quantity,” Rawaa said.
"Thanks to Amani, the yield is impressive in both quality and quantity."
Before Anera’s intervention, the waste of tomatoes in the harvest was significant.
“We didn’t know how to deal with diseases or overripe spoilage. Out of our 1,800 kilograms (around 4,000 pounds) harvest, we had a 700 kilograms (1,500 pounds) crop loss,” Rawaa says.
“This season, with Anera’s support, we haven’t had a single tomato go bad. We were able to benefit from our full 3,000 kilogram (6,600 pound) harvest, and the greenhouse still holds a few hundred kilos to be picked!”
“We follow every piece of advice from Amani. The training was amazing,” the couple agreed.
Rawaa and Ahmad’s story is one of hope, determination and transformation, a testament to what can happen when knowledge meets opportunity. Projects like Anera’s agricultural greenhouses are not just about growing crops; they’re about growing futures.
"We follow every piece of advice from Amani."
By supporting Anera’s initiatives, you help families like Rawaa and Ahmad’s build sustainable livelihoods, secure education for their children, and regain control over their health and wellbeing. Together, we can cultivate more than just land; we can cultivate hope and lasting change.
Help us sow the seeds of hope. Donate today.
