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Hadeel News 2012

Forthcoming visit of Hanan Alsaneh

Please see Events for details of Open Evening

"Bedouin Women of the Negev:

Empowerment through Fair Trade"

Hadeel News 2011

FATEN NASTAS

Art and Crafts and Politics, Protest, Life and Faith in Palestinian Context

( Maggie Frew, Anita Shanley, Faten, Margaret S. Macgregor, Dorothy Thomas, Amanda Wright, Carol Finlay)

Faten Nastas, artist and teacher, spoke to a group of Hadeel volunteers and Council on Wednesday, 17^th August. We were delighted also to welcome Carol Finlay, Twinning and Local Development Secretary of the Church of Scotland World Mission Council.

Faten’s presentation put our work into the context of wider issues of Palestinian history of art and craft, and its relation to politics, protest, life and faith. Starting with pictures from the 19^th Century Jerusalem Iconography School, founded by Khalil Halaby, Faten took us through many images which incorporate embroidery into the main design, as an essential element in the cultural identity of the Palestinian people. Originally one could tell a great deal about the person wearing a particular design: where exactly she lived, her marital status, economic and social standing.

Handcrafts, especially embroidery, has become a form of non-violent political and cultural resistance. As early as 1965 In Ash al Usra, founded by Samia Khalil, began trying to preserve traditional crafts and empower women; now there is a Museum of costumes and dresses at its premises in Al Bireh, near Ramallah. As we know, today there are many institutions who continue this tradition in the desperate political and economic climate in Palestine and for refugees beyond.

Faten then showed a CD and told us about Diyar (homes in Arabic), a consortium of 4 “Dar’s”. She is Chair of Visual Arts in Dar Al Kalima college. Dar An Nadwa, the arts and crafts centre from which we import the recycled glass ornaments and silver jewellery, opened its gift shop in 1999. Part of the International Centre of Bethlehem, founded by Lutheran pastor Mitri Raheb in 1995, they aim to revive and empower Palestinian artists and craftspeople, developing new designs. The overall aim of Diyar is to enable Palestinians to have life and have it abundantly.

Hadeel is grateful to the Church of Scotland World Mission Council who are Faten’s host in Scotland for their continued interest and support of Palcrafts and Hadeel’s work.

CPM 2008.8

Hadeel in the Courtyard

Hadeel in the Courtyard

The east end of George Street was further brightened for a week this August when Hadeel raised a (sometimes uncooperative) gazebo and stocked it with tasty and colourful Palestinian goods. There was a healthy interest in the products and their producers, and nearly £500 worth was sold.

Many thanks to those who gave their time and effort, and told the stories of creativity and struggle and fortitude.

Hadeel/Palcrafts AGM

The Hadeel/Palcrafts AGM 2011 was held on 14th June at St George's West Church, Shandwick Place, Edinburgh. After the business was concluded those present were given first-hand accounts with Powerpoint presentations from Hala George and Maureen Jack, sharing in vivid terms their recent visits to Palestine.

Update on Ashraf at Ma'an lil-Hayat

In May we recieved an account of Ashraf, one of the members of Ma'an lil-Hayat, being beaten by Israeli soldiers. See: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=391012 See report dated 27 May: Disabled man shaken after military assault. Fortunately now, at the end of July, Ashraf is much better after this traumatic event in his life.

Visit from Ma'an lil-Hayat

We were proud to host two representatives of the L'Arche Bethlehem project Ma'an lil-Hayat (Together for Life). At events in Inverness and Edinburgh, they explained how the felting project came into being, and their plans for the future. Palcrafts (the charity that owns Hadeel) has been able to support Ma'an in the past by paying for an electronic carding maching, greatly increasing their productivity.

As well as being an educational visit, their aim is also to raise funds for the purchase of the building they are currently renting. If you would like to make a donation, please get in touch.

Scottish Trade Union Congress

Morag Bryden and Sheila Merchant with the Hadeel stall at the Scottish Trade Union Congress conference, Ayr, 18 - 20 April.

Good news from Gaza - thanks to Scottish support

Hind during her visit in 2010 Photo: Edinburgh City Council

Funding provided by Hadeel has enabled the Sulufa Embroidery Project to be expanded in Gaza, providing training and expertise as well as new equipment to create more jobs.

Hadeel paid for Sulafa to take part in the international marketing fair in Santa Fe last year and now the manager, Carol Morton, has heard that as a result the Poverty Alleviation Fund of the USA is sponsoring a major development. “This trip has had far reaching results for the project which will empower the women in Gaza” Carol says. “Sulufa is run by UNRWA, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees, the main provider of basic services. Given the particular difficulties faced by humanitarian work in Gaza, it is absolutely important for this women’s project, operating in the Women’s Centres in all Gaza’s 8 refugee camps, to have external input in terms of design, producing products that Western people will want to buy. UNRWA will be able to employ more women using the traditional craft of embroidery, thus validating their culture and providing income in one of the poorest and overpopulated areas in the world.”

In a letter to Hadeel and its supporters Hind says: “I would like to thank you for the support you have given us for our participation in Santa Fe which gave us this opportunity. As a result women’s employment and family income will be improved through the expansion of the project, a seamstress and accountant will be appointed, the numbers of embroidery workers will be increased, the range of items will be extended and they will fund our next participation at the international market for handcrafts in 2012.”

Crafts from Sulafa

Fair Trade in Palestine

Two Women Tell their Stories

Widad Farid (Um Shehadeh) and Vivien Sansour

4 March 2011

Veronica Crerar - Hadeel/Palcrafts Secretary, Widad Farid and Vivien Sansour

Speaking to a public meeting organised by Palcrafts, Vivien began by saying how lucky we were to have Hadeel in Edinburgh. “We were so tired when we came then became so uplifted and excited when we entered and saw so many beautiful things,” she said. Although she is from Bethlehem, she had not seen the new felt products from there.She and Widad were on their second day of a Scottish tour organised by the Scottish Fair Trade Forum (SFTF). Vivien's work as writer/photographer for Canaan Fair Trade involves eating lots of good food and talking to interesting people; she feels very proud seeing the Zaytoun labels because she knew the people who responsible for the bottling and labelling.

Canaan Fair Trade was founded during the darkest period of the Second Intifada. Many had lost their lands, some because of the Wall; others had trees uprooted. Price of oil was very low, so many left the land. Canaan FT and the Palestinian Fair Trade Association (PFTA) have made a real difference. They are responsible for establishing the international standards for FT olive oil, becoming the first producer in the world to achieve them. They are also leaders in organic production. The benefits are not only economic: they are emotional and communal.Canaan currently consists of 45 cooperatives, and is working with women, farmers near the wall, young families and unemployed day labourers to encourage a return to the land. They distribute subsidised saplings, (pomegranate, almonds and olives) and market products such as maftoul – the Palestinian couscous.

Widad spoke in Arabic with Vivian translating. She spoke about her family and life in her village. They have a good well for water but they are not allowed by the Israeli authorities to make it any deeper and so must rely on winter rain or buying water in the summer. Widad turned from farming to embroidery, a hatchery and became a seamstress to supplement income. Their coop provides programs for women to develop politically and socially, e.g. learning computer and participating in their 'saving and lending' program.Wadid is the only woman on the PFTA board. She explained how important women were in supporting families, often as the main provider, since so many men had been lost, prisoners or injured, or unable to find work. Fair Trade meant they could provide this support in a dignified way without having to ask for charity. Groups like Zaytoun were a ray of hope in their lives.

The meeting was introduced by Martin Meteyard, chair of SFTF and chaired by Veronica Crerar, Secretary of Palcrafts/Hadeel. In his welcome Martin explained Scotland's progress toward Fair Trade Nation status. Fifty-five per cent of all towns need to have FT status or have a group working towards achieving it, i.e. 95 towns with a population of over 5000. Calling this an ambitious target he emphasised the importance of the wider grass-roots movement, especially important in schools.

We are happy to cooperate with Zaytoun, SFTF and Equal Exchange in bringing such inspiring visitors to Scotland.

P.S. Unfortunately the women's coop has no embroidery or other craft products different from what Hadeel already sells

The two women also attended Edinburgh's Fair Trade Brunch. Photo: The City of Edinburgh Council

New Local Rep

Hadeel is delighted to announce the appointment in January 2011 of our second Local Rep in Wales: Tom Evans (evans@brodirion.co.uk, 01792 366 110), who will serve in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and south Powys. He joins April Beynon who is in the Swansea area. The full list of Local Reps can be found here.

Hadeel News 2010

Congratulations to St John's Notting Hill for becoming a Fair Trade church. St John's is supplied with Hadeel products via our Local Rep Caroline Sterling and are sold along with other Fair Trade items at least once a month after the Sunday service, also occasionally at King's College.

Local Rep in Nottingham, Sylvia Salman, and her husband Ian braved the weather the last week in November and came up to Edinburgh from Newcastle. It was a joy to see them again and Ian took several photos to remind them of stock for future orders. Sylvia and Ian have devotedly supported Fair Trade and represented Hadeel at church and solidarity conferences and meetings for over five years. Why not join the team? Contact Carol at palcrafts@phonecoop.coop for more information.

Carol Morton (l) and Sylvia Salmon (r)

Meeting with Faten Nastas and James Laing

Hadeel hosted a meeting for our volunteers and Council members with Faten Nastas, the chairperson of the Visual Arts Department in Dal al Kalima College, Bethlehem and James Laing, the Church of Scotland Regional Manager in Israel/Palestine

Hadeel held another successful stall at this year's Gift of Sight Fair in Kensington Town Hall

Edinburgh's Fair Trade on the Fringe

One of our volunteers, Anita Shanley, at Hadeel's stall at Fair Trade on the Fringe during Edinburgh's busy Festival period

Photo: Carol Morton

Durham Miners Gala

Local Reps Belinda Burke and Helen Attewell with their Palestinian Fair Trade stall at the Durham Miners Gala where they sold so much that there wasn't much left at the end of the day!