World demands - Palestine Solidarity Campaign

8 palestine NEWS REPORTSStudents connectPSC is working with Al Fakhoora, an organisation dedicated topromoting access to education for Palestinians, on a new projectconnecting up students in the UK and Gaza.We are bringing the students together every week using Skypeto talk to each other about their lives, their studies and their hopesfor the future. The idea is to empower UK students with theknowledge to act as advocates in this country for their Palestiniancontemporaries while giving Gaza students the opportunity tomake friends beyond the borders of their besieged land.The UK students – from Westminster University and ImperialCollege, London – “met” with the students from the Islamic University,Gaza, for the first time just days after Israel's latest bombing of Gaza inwhich 27 Palestinians were killed in four days. The Gaza students toldhow their lives had been affected by this massive aerial bombardment.The Gaza students described their fear of the bombing, onesaid his newly-married friend, aged 24, had been killed, and theyLeft to right: Daniel Brooks, Azeem Sayani, Hanan Ak, SelinAvlak from Westminster University.Spring 2012spoke about how they were surviving on around six hours ofelectricity a day, with cooking gas running low and no fuel for cars.Here Amnah Rehman, of the University of Westminster,describes her experience of the project.Throughout my life I have heard many poignant stories aboutthe Palestinians and how their lives are completely ruinedunder the dangerous occupation. But never did I imagine that Iwould get a chance actually to hear their stories directly.My experience of talking to students from Gaza moved meimmensely for it was such an amazing opportunity to gain aninsight to their hardships and struggles. What mesmerised memost was the great optimism and positivity the students displayed,despite the dangers and fear which undoubtedly stay with themcontinuously.One week’s topic of conversation was the notion of families. Thestudents from Gaza explained how their bonds with their familiesgrow stronger whilst being in completely fearful circumstances.They feel that their families are the people who support them ineverything from education to work and much more.One of the students stated: “Strong family bonds help us copewith problems like no fuel, no water.” However, the students alsodescribed their biggest fears: one of them being losing their familymembers due to the bombing and airstrikes.This was such an emotional statement that it made me ponderhow lucky many of us are, for we don’t live with this fear of losingour families. After talking to the students from Gaza, it has given mean escalating feeling of sympathy for them.One profound statement from one of the Palestinian studentswhich I will never forget was: “One day the occupation will be over.Palestinians always have hope that things will be better. We arealways optimistic.” I truly admire their optimism!• Follow the students’ weekly conversations on Twitter @Chat2GazaHeritage in the needleThe gorgeous Palestinian embroideryproducts which are becomingincreasingly familiar in our craft shopsare generally produced by womenworking at home, often linked together ina co-operative which organises the sellingside.Now one of those organisations, theIdna Cooperative Association for Craftand Embroidery (also known as Women inHebron), is looking for people in the UK whoare willing to sell their lovely purses, bags,dresses, scarves and pillowcases.The Co-operative was founded in2005 by Nawal Slemiah who has a longbackground of working with local women.Around 30 women from the Hebron areavillage of Idna participated and they werelater joined by groups from other villages,enabling Nawal to open a shop in the OldCity of Hebron. Now around 120 womenfrom eight villages are in the group.The shop is the only one run by womenin the area and faces many challenges.One of these arose when they applied fora business licence to the local authority.They were told it is required to have a largeamount of money in a bank account – acriterion the small cooperative cannot meet.Nawal says the objectives of thecooperative are to:• Maintain and preserve the Palestiniancultural heritage and increase awarenessabroad• Raise living standards of Palestinianwomen through economic independence• Support women whose families cannotprovide for them• Encourage resident and commercesteadfastness in the Old City of Hebronin the face of the continuing suffering thatsettlers and the Israeli army are causing tothe community.The cooperative also educates women inhand embroidery processes, computer skillsand basics of English and advises them ontheir rights.In the ghost town that the Israelis havecreated in the Old City of Hebron to protectthe small band of fanatical settlers livingthere, the Co-operative’s shop strugglesfor custom. So now they are calling to theoutside world to support them.Ways to do this include buying theirproducts online, spreading the word, eg viatheir pages on Facebook and Flickr, andbecoming a retailer. Volunteers are verywelcome to come to stay with Co-operativemembers to help the women with theirEnglish and computer skills, or you couldcome for the day and be taken on a guidedtour.Nawal says: “Any support – financial aswell as moral – is most welcome! Being arelatively small and still young cooperative werely on help from friends all over the world.”• For more info see:www.womeninhebron.com• E-mail: nawal@womeninhebron.com oridnacooperative@gmail.com.Nawal in her shop with UK visitor,Megan Clay-Jones