IMF sees growth ahead for Algeria    Egyptian pound inches down in early July 1 trading    Madbouly represents Egypt at 4th UN Conference on Financing for Development in Seville    Bloody escalation in Gaza amid warnings of humanitarian, health catastrophe    Egypt, Iran FMs discuss Gaza truce, nuclear talks revival    Egypt's Environment Minister calls for stronger action on desertification, climate resilience in Africa    Egypt in diplomatic push for Gaza truce, Iran-Israel de-escalation    Peace is not imposed by bombing… nor achieved by normalisation peoples reject: Al-Sisi    Spinneys Opens A New Store in Hurghada    Egypt to launch new dialysis filter factory in July, covering 65% of domestic demand    Egypt teams up with private sector to boost university rankings    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Egypt leverages diplomacy to advance global health partnerships    Egypt to toughen truck safety rules following fatal Ring Road accident    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Egypt condemns deadly terrorist attack in Niger    Egypt, Tunisia discuss boosting healthcare cooperation    Egypt's commodity reserves "very reassuring", some stocks sufficient for 9 months — trade chief    Egypt's FM, China's Wang discuss Iran-Israel escalation    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt's GAH, Spain's Konecta discuss digital health partnership    Grand Egyptian Museum opening delayed to Q4    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Egypt discovers three New Kingdom tombs in Luxor's Dra' Abu El-Naga    Egypt launches "Memory of the City" app to document urban history    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



A gloomy Christmas in store for Gaza handicraft workshop
Published in Ahram Online on 02 - 12 - 2020

It's not going to be a very merry Christmas this year for a handicraft workshop in Islamist-run Gaza Strip that has been an unlikely source of gifts for the holiday.
Coronavirus lockdowns have made it difficult for the Zeina Cooperative Association to export its hand-crafted Christmas gifts from Gaza to Europe and to the Palestinian town of Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
About 24 Palestinian Muslim women, many of them veiled, work at the facility, making miniature Christmas trees, red-and-white puppets and Santa Claus marionettes.
But sales are down by half after a holiday boom a year ago, scuppering expansion plans and changing business strategy.
"We have turned from an international market to a local market," said Haneen Alsammak, executive manager of the cooperative, which aims to empower women in the Gaza Strip.
In addition to Christmas-themed toys and puppets, it also offers gifts to match Muslim holidays. Some of its puppets are used for educating children about the pandemic and to promote non-violence in the community.
"We have tried to make changes to some of our products to adjust to the current situation we are living amid the coronavirus (outbreak)," she added.
But with sales down, "the girls come in once every two days", said Laila Tayeh, a product designer.
Gaza, under a devastating Israeli siege since 2007, has logged nearly 22,000 coronavirus cases and 118 deaths, mostly since August, amid concern of a wider outbreak in the densely populated enclave of 2 million people, many of them poor.
Some 1,000 Christians, mostly Greek Orthodox who celebrate Christmas in January, live in Gaza.


Clic here to read the story from its source.