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UNRWA Sulafa Embroidery Women's Empowerment Project

Palestine, Middle East

The Sulafa Embroidery Project, established in 1950, is UNRWA's longest-running women's empowerment initiative in Gaza. The Fair Trade certified program provides income-generating opportunities to approximately 400 refugee women from 8-9 camps through traditional Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery. Women earn an average of US$40/month in an area where unemployment exceeds 45% and many live below US$2/day. Beyond economic empowerment, the program preserves Palestinian cultural heritage - embroidery patterns reflect millennia of history and symbolize the traditional rural lifestyle largely lost after 1948. A single scarf requires 100+ hours of labor.

Behavior Goal

Provide sustainable income for refugee women; preserve traditional Palestinian cultural heritage and identity; build women's confidence and social connections; demonstrate economic self-sufficiency

Methods & Approaches

Community Mobilization

Implementers & Partners

  • UNRWA Social Service Programme

Donors & Sponsors

  • UNRWA
  • Fair Trade partners
  • International buyers

Key Takeaways

  • 1Income generation combined with cultural preservation strengthens identity
  • 2Fair Trade certification ensures sustainable wages and working conditions
  • 3Social connections through group work build community resilience
  • 4Traditional skills create unique market position for handmade products
  • 574-year program demonstrates long-term sustainability

Sources

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