The exam’s Comprehension Text
[1] Saadia is 39 years old. She has lived in a poor area in Oued Zem with her husband for the past 20 years and now has five children. She started her professional career in Casablanca, working in a factory during the day and weaving carpets at home in the evening. However, after the birth of her first child, she had to quit her job in the factory to take care of her family.
[2] “I was working day and night to produce goods to sell around Casablanca at very low prices. I know that my products were worth more but I had no other option, just like all the other women from our area working for shoe and shirt makers,” Saadia said.
[3] This experience convinced Saadia of the importance of women’s contribution to family budgets. “When a woman brings money into the household, it changes the way she is looked at. Women are more respected for taking part in the household finances and can then take more decisions within the family,” she says.
[4] Saadia met members of the Near East Foundation in 2006, and enthusiastically took the opportunity to encourage women in her area to create an artisans’ cooperative. She was quickly chosen for the presidency of the cooperative given her profile, her capacity and leadership abilities. Despite her family obligations, she has taken modern and traditional sewing lessons that she is currently teaching to other members of the cooperative. She has provided assistance to all the training workshops organized by local authorities, focusing on administrative and financial management.
[5] Saadia is now strongly convinced of the success of the cooperative. “It is true that in the beginning, some men underestimated women and said that the cooperative would not last. But we have learned how to fight back and develop knowledge and skill,” she says.
[6]To promote the cooperative’s success and reputation, Saadia asked its members to organise an exhibition in June 2007, which was a great success. Thanks to her will and courage, this ambitious woman has been able to set an example and give hope to other women in marginalized areas.
http://www.neareast.og/peopleweserve/saadia_sriar
National exam | Scientific Streams | Catch-up Session 2012 with Answers
