Women of the World

Nora

Nora, a Palestinian Christian from Jerusalem, is the IOCC Country Representative for programs in Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza and also Chairwoman of Arab Orthodox Society.  In 1994, a dream of Nora’s came to fruition when she and the Arab Orthodox Society opened the Melia Art & Training Center in Jerusalem.  The center has trained over 550 Palestinian women in traditional embroidery.  Another 500 women have been trained as part of other IOCC projects. 

Despite the ongoing conflict, thanks to a common project with IOCC and USAID, a number of West Bank villages now offer courses in embroidery twice weekly.  Since March 2002, many women from faraway villages, who otherwise had no way of getting out to find jobs because of road closures and check points, have now completed training and are making high quality crafts, including culturally inspired jewelry.  Some of them go on to teach other women from more remote villages.  With the sales income, women working together gather funds for small mutual loans to develop some of their own agricultural activities, such as growing vegetables and making honey.  Palestinian women from urban and rural areas are finding moral and financial support through training and working in traditional embroidery, which is an important part of their own culture.