ARDI (My Land) 5, Where Riches of the Land Meet Your Health
"Green Lebanon", a trait given for the country known for being rich by its resources and healthy goods.
At the time when technology is even interfering in food, making it fast to prepare and eat, there are still some people in Lebanon who care about mere land products that illustrate with their colors the essence of organic and healthy products.
For the fifth year in a row, Hizbullah's Jihad al-Binaa Foundation has organized an exhibition, under the name of ARDI (My Land), in which producers get the opportunity to supply their "homemade" products, and costumers get to take a break from the unhealthy lifestyle.
What the organizers stress on when organizations or individuals approach to take part in the fair, is the quality of the products to be sold.
On this level, Engineer at Jihad al-Binaa Foundation, and responsible for the quality surveillance in ARDI, Tarek Moussawi, confirmed that all products in the exhibition are of very high quality.
In an interview with moqawama.org, Moussawi referred to the difference between homemade goods and crafts that are examined in detail, and those others manufactured in factories in mass numbers.
"In ARDI, we focus on the quality more than the quantity. We examine every single product to make sure there is no defect in it what so ever", Moussawi stressed.
He added, "We try to make sure that the buyers receive a high-quality, healthy, and sometimes organic goods that are rarely found in cities, especially Beirut".
Olives, olive oil, all dairy products, jams, pickled products, dried fruits, vegetables, fruits, and even natural soap are everywhere to be seen at ARDI.
This step strictly aims at encouraging people to abandon chemically-produced goods, and step by step restore the natural course of living, and once again become healthy.
"ARDI is an important symbol that reminds people of the goods of their land", Moussawi also added.
He indicated that incomers this year have increased since previous years, and the number of participating organizations and individuals reached around 120, coming from different regions in Lebanon; South, North, Bekaa, the mountains, and others.
The quality surveillance organizer also added that some people, who come to ARDI to supply their products, didn't have access to any market before; therefore Hizbullah's Jihad al-Binaa gave these people the opportunity to begin their market, and now some of them have permanent customers.
On her part, Mrs. Ayda Itawi from the village of Lasa in Jbeil (Byblos), expressed pleasure for the opportunity Hizbullah has granted her and other participants to take part in this national exhibition.
"It's really expensive for us nowadays if we want to open our own market to sell our products. However, thanks to Hizbullah and Jihad al-Binaa, we were able to launch our first step into marketing our goods, and people's interest in these products is increasing", Ayda stated.
She also indicated, "Now we have our own customers who appreciate the importance of unpreserved healthy foods".
"I prepare homemade goods like jams, pickles, dairy products. We also have organic apples, pumpkins, and other kinds of fruits and vegetables", Ayda further expressed.
Also, "organic" soaps receive high attention in ARDI, where people from all Lebanese areas make sure to buy soaps that are purely made out of natural substances and fragrances without any added material.
Apart from the foods and organic products, Jihad al-Binaa also made way for designers of special handmade handcrafts and art crafts to take part in the exhibition.
Jihad al-Binaa has for sure aced its way in taking care, not only of building facilities and planting trees, but also of following up the social status of Lebanese citizens who might need a push into leading their lives.
The Hizbullah organization proved to be concerned of the people's wellbeing as well, through highlighting on the importance of healthy and organic foods that are rarely to be found in high quality.
Source: moqawama.org
