From housewife to development entrepreneur in Karak

Hania Al-Bayayda is one of the inspiring female role models in Karak Governorate. She began her journey as a homemaker with a deep passion for community work and a desire to improve the lives of women in her region. Over time, she transformed this passion into a developmental path aimed at empowering women and enhancing their role in economic and social life. Her first leadership role came in 2017 when she was unanimously elected by the people of her region to represent them on the local council of Zaid Bin Haritha – Madin, becoming the first woman to hold a leadership position on this council, marking a significant turning point in her career.

While working in the Greater Karak Municipality, Hania participated in leadership workshops and empowerment programs that helped her hone her skills and understand community needs from a comprehensive development perspective. This development enabled her to establish the Madin Women’s Charitable Association, through which she sought to build programs and projects that respond to the needs of women and youth, working to empower them economically and socially within a vision based on promoting independence and transforming skills into sustainable income opportunities.

Under her leadership, the association focused on implementing training programs in handicrafts, home-based industries, and environmental projects based on recycling, fertilizer production, and heritage industries. This contributed to creating new employment opportunities and promoting the sustainable use of local resources. The association also organized awareness and capacity-building sessions that helped women and girls develop their skills and improve their economic situation.

In its pursuit of expanding the association’s impact and achieving sustainable development, Haniyeh established a strategic partnership with the Center for Change Agents for Sustainable Development during 2023–2024. The two organizations implemented a specialized program to build the capacities of women who own small and home-based businesses. The Center provided a series of practical training sessions in marketing, project development, financial management, and production quality, while the association provided logistical support to ensure the participation of a larger number of women, particularly those facing challenges with transportation and access to services.

Thanks to this collaboration, the impact of the programs expanded to various areas of Karak, extending to schools and universities through educational and awareness initiatives aimed at building a conscious and proactive generation. Through her leadership of the association and its effective network of partnerships, Haniyeh was able to contribute to strengthening the role of rural women and achieving tangible development opportunities within the community.

Haniyeh also held a number of leadership positions that strengthened her community presence, including Vice President of the Women’s Union in the Madin-Karak region, member of the Women and Child Council in the Greater Karak Municipality, member of the Schools Network in the Adnaniyah region, and member of the Administrative Board of the Covenant Party for 2025. Today, Haniyeh represents a true transformation story from a housewife to a developmental entrepreneur who contributes to building a more sustainable and cohesive society, and believes that empowerment begins with a small step on which great achievements are built.