By Shirabe Yamada | Executive Director, Sunbula
Throughout 2024, as we and Palestinian artisans across the West Bank and Gaza witnessed immense hardship during the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, we remained steadfast in our commitment. Here are our highlights we'd like to share with you.
1. We released our embroidery book and organized training
The second edition of "Seventeen Embroidery Techniques from Palestine: An Instruction Manual" was released in August, and thanks to your support, it was a tremendous success! We sold nearly 400 copies, with significant online orders from embroiderers and enthusiasts of Palestinian culture.
Following the book release, we conducted several training sessions on the techniques featured in the book, including the traditional couching embroidery from Bethlehem. We held the training session with fashion design students at Dar Al-Karima University and at the Women's Child Care Society. These initial workshops have shown us the book's potential impact on both current embroidery practitioners and future Palestinian generations.
2. We have a new partner: the basket weavers in the northern West Bank
This fall, we have started to work with Hares Women's Society in the Salfit district. A group of village women received the training in the basketry using wheat stalks and olive branches, a traditional craft from their region. In 2025, we will start marketing their baskets and trays to ensure that the women's newly gained skills will become their livelihood.
3. We have provided a source of livelihood to our artisans throughout the year
Despite the tightening of movement restrictions across the area, we have managed to keep running our fair trade shop in Jerusalem and our online shop, and helped protecting a source of income to hundreds of artisans and their families. The craft-making work has become more vital than ever as many of our women artisans are now the only earner in their households after a large number of men in the West Bank lost their permit to work inside Israel with the war in Gaza.
4. We continued to send the emergency aid to our Gaza partners
Our two partners in Gaza - Atfaluna Society and Sulafa Embroidery Centre - continue to serve their community even in their displacement. We have sustained our emercency support through the crowdfunding, and the funds were used for direct cash assistance, psycho-social support for children, classrooms for students, and kits and parcels for children and famlies.
Our heartfelt thanks for your support this year. Your donation has made it posssible for us to sustain our work and to protect the livelihood of our artisans. Wishing you and yours a brighter year in 2025.
With gratitude,
shirabe
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