Handmade black necklace

Handmade black necklace with orange, green, and yellow embroidery threaded on a long beaded multi-coloured chain.

After the year 1967, when Hanan and her countrymen lost their home, land and livelihood, the women in the refugee community had to contribute to sustain their family. Traditionally, hand embroidery has been the crux of Palestinian craftsmanship. At this point, only Hanan’s skill and determination to uphold Palestinian identity remained with her. Together with her friend Nadia Ghousha, she laid the foundation for a centre that trained young girls in traditional embroidery and sell embroidered goods for a living. By this means, Hanan not only sustained her own family, but she also created employment opportunities for the women in her community. Together with her team, Hanan first started creating and selling thawbs, and then progressed to home décor items like pillow covers, wall hangings and women’s accessories.