By Shirabe Yamada | Executive Director, Sunbula
This year, now at the halfway point, has been marked with increased hardships in the communities across the West Bank. On every visit to our partners, we see the encrouchment of settlements, outposts and military areas on Palestinian lands. Movement restrictions are getting tighter from new checkpoints, barriers and military gates. Many of our artisans have experienced military raids, descrution of their properties and looting of their valuables by the Israeli soldiers. Some of their family members have lost their homes and livestocks in the settler attacks. More recently, the war between Israel and Iran paralized life as economic activities came to a standstill across the country.
Sunbula, despite many operational obstacles, has managed to keep running our fair trade shop in Jerusalem. We have provided a sustained income stream to hundreds of artisans, who have became the family breadwinners amidst high unemployment in the prolonged war.
We have also engaged in the following activities to capacite our artisans and to protect the Paletinian cultural heritage at risk.
Jewlery-making Training with Gaza Designer
We have partnered with the designer Ibrahim Muhtadi from Gaza to upgrade the jewelry production at Noor Al-Qamar project in the Anata Bedouin community. Ibrahim held the online training sessions to teach the women new skills and knowledge required to produce a new jewelry collection he designed for them. Stay tuned for its unvailing later this year.
Upgrading the sewing workshop in Bedouin community
We have upgraded the struture used for the sewing workshop at Noor Al-Qamar. The original structure was made of scrap materials, and lacked proper protection from the elements. The new structure, with its solid walls, windows and celining, provides a more comfortable and secure space for the women to work.
Embarking on a new embroidery book
We are working to publish a new embroidery book that focuses on the Bethlehem area ' Tahriri' embroidery. The book is a sequel to 'Seventeen Embroidery Techniques from Palestine: An Instruction Manual' that came out last summer, and will be the first of its kind to feature technical instructions and an extensive catalog of Tahriri patterns. The book will come out by the end of this year.
Emergency aid for our Gaza partners
Our two partner groups in Gaza - Atfaluna Society and Sulafa Embroidery Centre - have not stopped their work throughout this war to support the artisan families and community members. We continue to assist in their most pressing humanitarian needs through our crowdfunding.
Your donations have made possible for us to carry out mission to empower the Palestinian artisans. Our heartfelt thanks to your generous support.
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