Photo Essay: Working women of Gaza

Summary

The website content is a photo essay showcasing the resilience and diverse occupations of working women in Gaza, highlighting their strength in the face of adversity.

Abstract

The photo essay titled "Working women of Gaza" by Abeer Ayyoub presents a series of portraits and stories of women in various professions within the challenging environment of the occupied Palestinian territories. These narratives underscore the determination and resourcefulness of these women, such as Deema Shushaa, a glass painter who manages her own shop amidst material shortages and Madleen Kullab, the sole fisherwoman in Gaza, who supports her family while pursuing her education. The essay also features Natasha, a music teacher, Areej AbuEid, a hotel receptionist with aspirations in film, Maysoon Thabet, a pharmacy manager, Nour Nabeeh, who runs a physiotherapy clinic, and Amal Abu Nahla, the proud owner of a restaurant named "Zaman." The women's experiences reflect the broader context of high unemployment rates and societal constraints in Gaza, while also celebrating their individual achievements and contributions to their community.

Opinions

The essay conveys the importance of recognizing the ordinary yet extraordinary aspects of life for women in Gaza, emphasizing their resilience.
Deema Shushaa's passion for her glass painting work is noted, with pride in her craft's ability to travel beyond Gaza's borders as a cultural ambassador.
Madleen Kullab's role as a fisherwoman challenges gender norms, and her dedication to both work and education is highlighted as an inspiration.
The significance of music as a form of escape from everyday hardships is acknowledged through Natasha's work as a music teacher.
Areej AbuEid's story illustrates the financial challenges faced by aspiring filmmakers in Gaza, as well as the broader societal constraints on women.
The essay suggests that employment, such as Maysoon Thabet's role in managing a pharmacy, is a privilege in a region with extremely high unemployment.
Nour Nabeeh's opinion on the lack of a health and body care culture in Gaza is presented, along with her commitment to changing this through her physiotherapy clinic.
Amal Abu Nahla's dream of opening her own restaurant is celebrated as a personal triumph, with a mention of the delicious traditional Palestinian dishes served at "Zaman."

Photo Essay: Working women of Gaza

Sometimes, it’s the ordinary aspects of life that are most worth photographing. With this photo series, we wanted to highlight some of the faces you don’t normally see in the mainstream media. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that each of these women has proven, in her own way, to be resilient in the face of the sweeping hardships that affect their community in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Deema Shushaa, 27, works as a glass painter in Gaza and owns her own shop. Though getting raw materials can be very difficult due to the Israeli-imposed restrictions on imports and the taxes imposed by the Gaza and West Bank governments, Deema told me she’s very passionate about her work. She loves knowing that her work can go places that she can’t — and often serves as a souvenir and reminds customers of Gaza.

Madleen Kullab, 25, is the only fisherwoman (that she knows of) in Gaza. It’s hard work, and harder since the fishing industry has been in decline recently. She brought her notes to the waterfront because she is studying for her exams, and wants to find work in the future as a secretary. Madleen’s father was a fisherman before he got sick, and since she was the eldest child, she had to take up fishing to provide for the family. Sometimes people make comments, but it doesn’t bother her. “I’m free to do whatever I want,” she said.

Natasha, 37, is a music teacher at the only musical institute in Gaza. Natasha derives a lot of satisfaction from her work, as she believes it helps her students forget about the difficult conditions of everyday life.

Areej AbuEid, 24, is a resident of Al Nusairat refugee camp in Gaza. For as long as she could remember, Areej wanted to be a director. After studying journalism and public relations with an emphasis in film, she made several short films about women in Gaza and the societal constraints they encounter, and showed them at a film festival in Norway. However, due to financial constraints, Areej has had to look elsewhere for her income. She currently works as a receptionist at one of the oldest hotels in Gaza City, the Marna House Hotel and Restaurant.

Maysoon Thabet, 29, runs a pharmacy in Gaza City. She handles every aspect of the day-to-day business for the owner, and told me she feels fortunate to have her job. Unemployment rates in Gaza are sky-high.

Nour Nabeeh, 28, manages a physiotherapy clinic. Nour says people in Gaza don’t have a culture of taking care of their bodies, but this is something she wants to change.

Amal Abu Nahla, 50, recently achieved her dream of opening her own restaurant, which is called Zaman, or “Time.” Amal runs the restaurant with the help of her husband and children. The musakhan (a Palestinian dish made of roast chicken, spices and onions served over bread) and sumaqiyya (a meat stew made with sumac and tahina) are especially delicious.

Abeer Ayoub is a photojournalist who was based in Gaza but recently relocated to Oxford. Follow her on Twitter here.