Our partners work with a collective of 25 Syrian refugee women in Shatila refugee camp, Lebanon, whose needlework helps them to support themselves and their families. And just as important: it eases the psychological hardships of exile by providing a creative and productive pastime, and giving the artisans an opportunity to forge friendships with other women as they embroider together and learn from each other. Embroidery is a traditional skill that is widespread throughout the Arab world, and which is often passed down to Syrian women today by their mothers and grandmothers. When the armed conflict in Syria forced many of these women to leave behind their homes and possessions, their traditional skill sets turned out to be more important than they had ever expected.
