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By Reid Davis<\/em><\/p>\n Ra\u2019edah Abu Alhalaweh has an unusual keychain, especially for a Jordanian woman. Among the keys is a miniature adjustable crescent wrench. This mother of six carries it as a sign of her chosen profession\u2014plumbing.<\/p>\n Her entry into the field started as a joke she says, but quickly grew more serious when she realized that her enjoyment of \u201cfixing things around the house\u201d could fill a legitimate need in her country.<\/p>\n \u201cIn our culture, it is not easy to let men plumbers enter the house, especially when our husbands are not around,\u201d she says, adding that husbands are usually at work when plumbers\u2014traditionally always male\u2014make house calls.<\/p>\n So Ra\u2019edah, who has a university education and worked as a teacher before starting her family, took a classroom training course. Then she began an apprenticeship with a male plumber in Zarqa, Jordan, where she lives and works today, under 30 km from the capital city of Amman. Gradually, she did more of the work on her own and impressed her trainer with how capable she was.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the beginning, this idea was almost impossible for women,\u201d Ra\u2019edah says. \u201cBut today, many women work as plumbers, and I have many female colleagues in this field.\u201d<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/care.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/RS96759_Raedah-Abu-Alhalaweh-2-lpr.jpg” alt=”Four women stand together outdoors and smile. One woman holds a large plumbing wrench over her shoulder” title_text=”RS96759_Ra’edah Abu Alhalaweh-2-lpr” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Image caption” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||20px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Once on her own, she started building a business, and eventually began training others.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople started to know about my work and asked for help,\u201d she says. \u201cI also distributed brochures and magnetic cards to market what I do.\u201d<\/p>\n Ra\u2019edah\u2019s business savvy is clearly intuitive, but it\u2019s been enhanced by a CARE-sponsored course on small business development. CARE also helped her secure a grant to buy new tools and equipment. Even her children are proud of her, she says.<\/p>\n \u201cThey used to share my Facebook page with everyone and told their friends about what I do and that I can help them in anything,\u201d Ra\u2019edah says. \u201cThe main message I want to share with all women out there is that your future is in your hands, not your husband. I always tell my daughters: the most important thing is to be financially independent. Rely on yourself and be diligent about it. Even if you are a housewife, life circumstances may change, and it requires your participation to support yourself and him.\u201d<\/p>\n As she has broken stereotypes, Ra\u2019edah has turned heads.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Block Quote” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI received so many comments like, \u2018is it possible that you do plumbing? Is it possible that you can fix things?\u2019 I tell them: \u2018yes, I can.\u2019”<\/p>\n – Ra\u2019edah Abu Alhalaweh<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/care.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/RS96757_Raedah-Abu-Alhalaweh-4-fb.jpg” title_text=”RS96757_Ra’edah Abu Alhalaweh-4-fb” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Image caption” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||20px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cOnce, when the house owner and her husband saw me fixing the bathroom, it was such a big event for them,\u201d she recalls. \u201cI noticed them observing me all the time. Her husband was telling his wife how great I was and how impressed he was. I became a role model for other women. Even the kids observed me while I was working. It was a shocking for them. In our culture, this job is only for men.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOne day I got in a taxi and told him I work as a plumber; he told me you are Ra\u2019adeh, right? I told him, yes,\u201d she recalls, laughing. \u201cI thought that my reputation preceded me.\u201d<\/p>\n Along the way, Ra\u2019edah ran into a number of homes with long-deferred plumbing issues, simply because, for a long time, it had been impossible for a male plumber to visit during the day. She also encountered a great deal of skepticism.<\/p>\n \u201cI received so many comments like, \u2018is it possible that you do plumbing? Is it possible that you can fix things?\u2019 I tell them: \u2018yes, I can.\u2019 Why can\u2019t I fix it? What is the obstacle? I am well-trained in plumbing, and only real experience provides you with the proof you need. Give me something to fix, and you will see the result with your own eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you love what you do, you can always succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||20px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”CTA Text” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/secure3.convio.net\/careca\/site\/Donation2?4741.donation=form1&df_id=4741″ url_new_window=”on” button_text=”DONATE NOW” button_alignment=”left” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”off|phone” admin_label=”Related News & Stories” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”1f8f8301-641b-4c17-bd94-eff81505f8ef” custom_padding_tablet=”40px||40px||true|true” custom_padding_phone=”40px||40px||true|true” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”a19db140-2f55-4032-b86c-54be1252bb8e” custom_padding=”0px|0px|25px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” module_class=”title58 bottom_center_line” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”88ce54ab-6588-4f6d-9749-afbe77548e8b” header_2_font=”|800|||||||” header_2_font_size=”58px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||5px||false|false” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”34px” header_2_font_size_phone=”32px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_blog posts_number=”3″ include_categories=”9,10″ excerpt_length=”25″ show_more=”on” show_author=”off” show_date=”off” show_excerpt=”off” show_pagination=”off” module_class=”blog_style1″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”|800|||||||” header_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_font_size=”24px” header_line_height=”1.2em” body_text_color=”#FFFFFF” body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.49em” meta_font=”Fira Sans Condensed|800|||||||” meta_text_color=”gcid-31f96dcd-dfb4-471f-988b-7e39e9b40b4b” meta_font_size=”16px” meta_line_height=”1.2em” read_more_font=”Fira Sans Condensed|800|||||||” read_more_text_color=”#FFFFFF” read_more_font_size=”18px” max_width_tablet=”450px” max_width_phone=”450px” max_width_last_edited=”on|tablet” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”25px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” header_font_size_tablet=”20px” header_font_size_phone=”20px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” body_font_size_tablet=”16px” body_font_size_phone=”16px” body_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” meta_font_size_tablet=”12px” meta_font_size_phone=”12px” meta_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” read_more_font_size_tablet=”16px” read_more_font_size_phone=”16px” read_more_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{%22gcid-31f96dcd-dfb4-471f-988b-7e39e9b40b4b%22:%91%22meta_text_color%22%93}” read_more_text_color__hover_enabled=”on|hover” read_more_text_color__hover=”#FFFFFF” custom_css_read_more_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_css_read_more__hover_enabled=”off|hover”][\/et_pb_blog][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]Kate Adelung\/CARE<\/h5>\n
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Ra’edah Abu Alhalaweh is a female plumber living in Zarqa, Jordan. Photo: Kate Adelung\/CARE<\/h5>\n
Support women like Ra\u2019edah to access financial independence.<\/h1>\n
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