WOMEN'S CO-OPERATIVE
This morning I was pick
ed up at Tantur by Clarence and Joan Musgrave of the Scots’ Church, Jerusalem. I met them on my first Sunday in Jerusalem. Clarence is the minster of the church. Today, Saturday, they were headed for the village of Idna in the west bank, west of Hebron. In Idna some women have organized to form the Idna Ladies’ Association, an economic empowerment co-operative. They operate and manage the business which consists of handicrafts, mostly embroidery or cross-stitching. The Scots’ Church through their shop called Sunbula in Jerusalem and in their shop in Tiberias provide a market for these handicrafts. Palestinians are being more and more frustrated in the
ir movement and accessing a reasonable market for their goods is becoming more and more difficult.
The handicrafts of the cooperative are also now available through the internet at www.sunbula.org.
I am told that many West Bank Palestinians families are attempting to exist on $1 US a day. Even with inexpensive produce available to them you will appreciate that $1 does not go far in any economy. This co-operative offers the opportunity to provide $50 to $120 per month to women who create and sell their goods.
Nuha, the chief co-operative designer who spoke more than adequate English, also has a good business head. She was a most pleasant person with which to deal. It is customary to have tea or coffee after a business transaction in these parts. So, I joined Nuha in some sweet, Arab tea.
On our drive through the West Bank area "C," the area around Hebron, Clarence and Joan were able to point out areas where great changes have been made to the topography over the six years they have lived here. Mostly, the changes can be summed up this way: the Palestinian people continue to see their land disappear to Jewish settlers. A great deal of money is pouring into these settlements from sources both locally, from the USA, and from Jewish communities in Europe.
Meanwhile, the roads and services to the Palestinian villages and homes continue to deteriorate. Roads are potholed or consist of unpaved mud in this rainy season; many roads are closed... barricaded; electricity is intermittent as is garbage collection; and the IDF continue to make regular incursions into the West Bank to arrest and detain young Palestinian men leaving families extremely stressed and feeling insecure. It is understandable that the frustration level is significant. Yet, the resilience of the Palestinians that I have met is remarkable.
Also located in the same building as the ladies’ co-operative is a co-operative daycare facility. The children appeared content and happy to see us visitors. They were unhesitating in their desire to "mug" for the camera.
ed up at Tantur by Clarence and Joan Musgrave of the Scots’ Church, Jerusalem. I met them on my first Sunday in Jerusalem. Clarence is the minster of the church. Today, Saturday, they were headed for the village of Idna in the west bank, west of Hebron. In Idna some women have organized to form the Idna Ladies’ Association, an economic empowerment co-operative. They operate and manage the business which consists of handicrafts, mostly embroidery or cross-stitching. The Scots’ Church through their shop called Sunbula in Jerusalem and in their shop in Tiberias provide a market for these handicrafts. Palestinians are being more and more frustrated in the
ir movement and accessing a reasonable market for their goods is becoming more and more difficult.The handicrafts of the cooperative are also now available through the internet at www.sunbula.org.
I am told that many West Bank Palestinians families are attempting to exist on $1 US a day. Even with inexpensive produce available to them you will appreciate that $1 does not go far in any economy. This co-operative offers the opportunity to provide $50 to $120 per month to women who create and sell their goods.
Nuha, the chief co-operative designer who spoke more than adequate English, also has a good business head. She was a most pleasant person with which to deal. It is customary to have tea or coffee after a business transaction in these parts. So, I joined Nuha in some sweet, Arab tea.
On our drive through the West Bank area "C," the area around Hebron, Clarence and Joan were able to point out areas where great changes have been made to the topography over the six years they have lived here. Mostly, the changes can be summed up this way: the Palestinian people continue to see their land disappear to Jewish settlers. A great deal of money is pouring into these settlements from sources both locally, from the USA, and from Jewish communities in Europe.
Meanwhile, the roads and services to the Palestinian villages and homes continue to deteriorate. Roads are potholed or consist of unpaved mud in this rainy season; many roads are closed... barricaded; electricity is intermittent as is garbage collection; and the IDF continue to make regular incursions into the West Bank to arrest and detain young Palestinian men leaving families extremely stressed and feeling insecure. It is understandable that the frustration level is significant. Yet, the resilience of the Palestinians that I have met is remarkable.
Also located in the same building as the ladies’ co-operative is a co-operative daycare facility. The children appeared content and happy to see us visitors. They were unhesitating in their desire to "mug" for the camera.
posted by Philip | 2:38 p.m.
1 Comments:
Hi Hillary:
No, I left the embroidery to the experts. It was great fun to mee them and see how they are taking some control over their lives.
Rev.Phil
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