In the framework of the projects ratification and approval process, within AFKAR 3 program, managed by the Office of the Minister of State for Administrative Reform and funded by the European Union, the final report on the "Promoting the socio-economic situation of women in the marginalized areas of southern Lebanon" project, implemented by the Lebanon Family Planning Association for Development and Family Empowerment (LFPADE), was completed over a period of 30 months. This project was implemented in partnership with the Italian Research Association and in cooperation with the municipalities of Kawkaba and Hasbaya.

The project enhanced the capacities of about 180 women from the targeted southern villages on food processing, food safety and economic empowerment in management and enterprise fields. It also aimed to strengthen the capacities of two women’ cooperatives in the region: the cooperative association for food and agricultural industrialization in Kawkaba, and the agricultural, manufacturing and craft cooperative in Hasbaya.

This project resulted in the development of a trademark "Karmah" for marketing and registering the products in the Ministry of Economy. In this framework, a website was also launched.

Eight women participated in a visit to Italy, during which they learned about many of the foodstuffs and how to manufacture them. They also had the opportunity to visit successful small projects started by women from the Italian countryside and developed into great success stories. The women expressed their high assessment of the importance of the visit, its results and the lessons the have learned from this experience.

It should be noted that throughout the implementation period of the project, the concerned women from Kawkaba and Hasbaya cooperatives, participated in local exhibitions to present their food products in all Lebanese regions. Besides, the closing ceremony witnessed a large exhibition of these products in the municipality of Saida.