- Title: Hearing-impaired Palestinians bring the holiday cheer to Gaza
- Date: 12th December 2019
- Summary: GAZA CITY, GAZA (DECEMBER 10, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GAZAN WITH HEARING DISABILITY CUTTING INTO WOOD TO MAKE CHRISTMAS DECORATION ORNAMENT HEARING AID ON HIS EAR GAZANS WITH HEARING DISABILITIES USING SIGN LANGUAGE TO TALK GAZANS DRAWING SHAPE OF ORNAMENT VARIOUS OF GAZANS WITH HEARING DISABILITIES USING SIGN LANGUAGE TO TALK (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GAZAN AT ATFALUNA SOCIETY FOR DEAF CHILDREN, BILAL GHAZAL, SAYING: (GAZAL ACCOMPANIED BY HEAD OF PERSONNEL AFFAIRS AT ATFALUNA SOCIETY TRANSLATING INTO SIGN LANGUAGE): "What I love most is Santa Clause's wardrobe and the gifts he gives. We make stockings, the bells, I love all of these, because they all reflect Christmas. It makes me really happy to see them (the decorations) on the tree, our products being displayed on the tree and showing that we, the deaf, were able to make them from scratch, like painting them as well as all the other steps of making them... It makes me very happy." VARIOUS OF GAZAN WITH HEARING DISABILITY SEWING ORNAMENT VARIOUS OF GAZAN WITH HEARING DISABILITY DRAWING ON WOOD ORNAMENT VIEW OF GAZANS AT WORKSHOP VARIOUS OF GAZAN WITH HEARING DISABILITY, MAHA HARZALLAH, DRAWING ON ORNAMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GAZAN AT ATFALUNA SOCIETY FOR DEAF CHILDREN, MAHA HARZALLAH, SAYING: (HARZALLAH ACCOMPANIED BY HEAD OF PERSONNEL AFFAIRS AT ATFALUNA SOCIETY TRANSLATING INTO SIGN LANGUAGE): "We choose the main colours of the (Christmas) tree and the colours that are worn by Santa Clause. We make the stockings and the toppers, everything that is related to Christmas. We paint them on the wooden crafts that we receive from the carpentry and try to market them outside of the Gaza Strip." VARIOUS OF GAZAN WITH HEARING DISABILITY SEWING CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS SANTA CLAUSE ORNAMENT HANGING ON CHRISTMAS TREE STOCKINGS AND OTHER DECORATIONS ON CHRISTMAS TREE VARIOUS OF WOMAN HANGING ORNAMENTS ON CHRISTMAS TREE INSIDE ATFALUNA SOCIETY GALLERY AND SHOP VIEW OF STORE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF PERSONAL AFFAIRS AT ATFALUNA SOCIETY ORGANIZATION, MANDY SARDAH, SAYING: "Of course there is a huge difference between the past and the present. Currently, because of the siege, the number of Christian citizens who are living in the Gaza Strip is low. Also there aren't many visitors (to Gaza) because they cannot obtain permits. Therefore, because of the siege and the closure on Gaza, all of this has limited them (visitors) from visiting here, and from celebrating Christmas on a larger scale here. But, despite the siege and everything else, products of Atfaluna Society for deaf children reach the whole world through our online store." VARIOUS OF WOMAN SHOPPING FOR ORNAMENTS, WHILE BEING ASSISTED BY STAFF CHRISTMAS DECORATION ORNAMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CHRISTIAN GAZAN SHOPPER, RANDA AL-AMSH, SAYING: "I am at Atfaluna Society for the deaf and here I found many things that are nice for Christmas decoration. Traditional embroidery, Santa Clause stockings, other embroidery decoration, many other things that are related to Christmas." VIEW OF CHRISTMAS TREE AT SHOP GAZA CITY, GAZA (DECEMBER 11, 2019) (REUTERS) VIEW OF GAZA SIGN NEAR BEACH PALESTINIANS SITTING ON BEACH VIEW OF "I LOVE GAZA" SIGN IN FRONT OF BEACH
- Embargoed: 26th December 2019 12:50
- Keywords: Christmas Crafts Gaza Holidays Ornaments
- Location: GAZA CITY, GAZA
- City: GAZA CITY, GAZA
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Living / Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001B9O5CUT
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Carving on wood, sewing and painting, a group of Palestinians with hearing disabilities are hard at work these days, making Christmas decorations at the Atfaluna Society workshop in Gaza.
The non-profit organization aims to provide disabled Palestinians with job opportunities whilst also helping the enclave's small Christian minority celebrate their most important holiday of the year.
"It makes me really happy to see them (the decorations) on the tree, our products being displayed on the tree and showing that we, the deaf, were able to make them from scratch, like painting them as well as all the other steps of making them... it makes me very happy," said Bilal Ghazal, one of the disabled Palestinians making crafts at Atfaluna.
The Israeli-led blockade on Gaza has made it difficult for tourists to visit the enclave or physically buy Atfaluna products.
"But, despite the siege and everything else, products of Atfaluna Society for deaf children reach the whole world through our online store," the organization's head of personal affairs, Mandy Sardah, said.
There are 1,100 Christians living in the Gaza Strip, whose siege makes it hard for them to have a full Christmas experience. The minority makes up less than one percent of Gaza's population.
"I am at Atfaluna Society for the deaf and here I found many things that are nice for Christmas decoration. Traditional embroidery, Santa Clause stockings, other embroidery decoration, many other things that are related to Christmas," said Christian Gaza resident, Randa Al-Amsh.
(Production: Arafat Barbakh, Nehad Shana, Suheir Sheikh, Rami Ayyub) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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