- Title: Gaza craftswoman locally produces iconic Ramadan decorations
- Date: 8th April 2021
- Summary: GAZA CITY, GAZA (APRIL 6, 2021) (REUTERS) PALESTINIAN LANTERN MAKER, HANAN AL-MADHOON WRITING (Arabic): "RAMADAN KAREEM" ON GLASS TOP VIEW OF MADHOON AND HER DAUGHTERS MAKING COLORFUL RAMADAN DECORATIONS IN THEIR LIVING ROOM VARIOUS OF MADHOON AND DAUGHTERS MAKING RAMADAN DECORATIONS MADHOON AND HER DAUGHTERS SURROUNDED BY RAMADAN DECORATIONS IN LIVING ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN LANTERN MAKER, HANAN AL-MADHOON, SAYING: "I wait for Ramadan like a little kid, I love its decorations, I love the things we use (during Ramadan), they motivated me to develop my work and come up with new ideas that were not present here yet." VARIOUS OF MADHOON AND HER DAUGHTER WORKING ON RAMADAN LANTERN MADHOON'S DAUGHTER WORKING ON DECORATION PIECE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN LANTERN MAKER, HANAN AL-MADHOON, SAYING: "I tried as much as possible to see what are the things people want, the ideas people need, so I work on them and develop my project, carry on with it because at the moment, as I said, it is my only source of income." RAMADAN DECORATION MADHOON AND HER DAUGHTERS WORKING DECORATIVE FIGURINE / MADHOON WORKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN LANTERN MAKER, HANAN AL-MADHOON, SAYING: "This year I made several things, not only one. I made this Kunafah and Qatayef (Arabic sweets) sellers, which are among the main (Ramadan) decorations in Egypt, I made the beans cart, which is also part of the main Egyptian decorations that gives this sense of a nice Ramadan atmosphere, I also made a Ramadan cannon and everyone knows that Egypt is well-known for their Ramadan cannons." RAMADAN DECORATIONS HANGING DOWN IN MARKET PEOPLE WALKING IN MARKET RAMADAN DECORATION AT MARKET VARIOUS OF CLOWN ENTERTAINING KIDS AT MARKET
- Embargoed: 22nd April 2021 14:52
- Keywords: Decorations Egypt Gaza Handmade Lanterns Palestinians Ramadan
- Location: GAZA CITY, GAZA
- City: GAZA CITY, GAZA
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Middle East,Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001E7NWQC5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: 'I wait for Ramadan like a little kid', craftswoman from Gaza, Hanan al-Madhoon said from her living room, surrounded by handmade colorful lanterns and figurines she crafted with the help of her daughters.
The 36-year-old mother of three said she is inspired by the iconic Ramadan decorations traditionally manufactured in Egypt and decided to produce and sell them locally to provide her family with a source of income.
Madhoon said her husband lost his job at wedding halls due to the closures imposed since last year amid the spread of the coronavirus in the Gaza strip.
Last year, Madhoon sold only 20% of the decorations she crafted, a drop she attributed to the measures imposed in 2020 to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
This year, she hopes to increase her sales by 70%, but fears new preventive measures during the month of Ramadan could be imposed should the number of infections rise ahead of the fasting month.
Lanterns, known in Arabic as "Fawanees", originated in Egypt and were usually imported into Gaza from Egypt and China, but some Gazans like Madhoon, started to make them locally.
The Gaza strip, measuring 375 square km (145 square miles), is home to around two million Palestinians.
It has been for years under an Israeli blockade, which Gazans said didn't only cripple their economy, but also undermined the development of health facilities.
(Production: Arafat Barbakh, Fadi Shana, Suheir Sheikh, Roleen Tafakji) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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