Friday March 29th, 2024
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UNHCR Partners With Egypt's NilFurat Project for Refugee Women to Launch Handicrafts Show

Women from the Nile river and women from the Euphrates river come together to demonstrate how struggle can flourish into beauty.

Staff Writer

UNHCR Partners With Egypt's NilFurat Project for Refugee Women to Launch Handicrafts Show

How do you turn crisis into opportunity? A huge part of making it happen for ourselves is drawing inspirations from others who had the ability and willpower to transform their struggles and misfortunes into extraordinary actions. The UNHCR – working together with low-income Egyptian women, and refugees in Egypt from Syria, Eritrea, Sudan, and Ethiopia – put together the NilFurat project, which seeks to teach women who have fled hardships and war zones how to make handicrafts of impeccable artistry and quality. Starting today and until the 24th of November at the Cairo Fair Grounds in Nasr City, you can take a look through and buy handmade products that reflect these women's stories and cultures.

The first phase of the project started last year, with women receiving training from GUC graduates who volunteered to teach them different forms of applied arts. The second phase, which is happening now, is for women to be able to sell their products. The training didn't only include the handicrafts, but also financial knowledge about how to evaluate the labour of their products and, in turn, be able to price them in order to improve their livelihoods. We already go to galleries all the time to get unique accessories and items, so why not show support this time and get a one-of-a-kind piece made with pure love and raw courage?The project is not only fascinating in all the beautiful items it generated, but rather in the safe space it was able to provide for these women – crossing language and cultural barriers, helping each other with resources, and creating a community that breeds concrete financial, psychological, and moral support.

For more information about the project, the show, and how to give support visit their Facebook event page.