Meet Manal Al-Shaer: A New Skill After Loss
Manal, a mother of four, lost her husband the day before the family was to move into their new home. At Taabu she found support and a craft she hopes will earn.
Pictured
Manal Al-Shaer in a black headscarf threading beads at a workshop table in Cairo
FAJR’s leadership on Our TeamI came to Taabu looking for a way to cope. I found support, a new skill, and the beginning of a new opportunity.
Manal Al-Shaer, 33 | Palestinian Artisan & Mother of Four
I’m Manal Al-Shaer, a 33-year-old Palestinian mother of four with a background in science education.
My husband and I were building a new life for our family in Egypt. We had prepared a new home and were supposed to move in the next day. Then, without warning, my husband died of a heart attack. He was only 38 years old.
He had been the main provider for our family. Alongside the grief of losing him, I was suddenly facing the responsibility of supporting our four children and managing everything on my own.
For a while, I stayed at home, struggling deeply with the loss. My children were already attending activities at Taabu, and one day, I decided to go with them.
There, I met other Palestinian women. Slowly, I began to talk, share what I was carrying, and find an emotional outlet. Taabu became a place where I could connect with others instead of facing everything alone.
I also learned a new craft, one I hope can become a source of income for my family. I’m already taking the first steps: my brother takes some of the pieces I make to Hungary to sell.
I came to Taabu at one of the hardest moments of my life. Today, I’m learning how to turn a new skill into a way forward for myself and my children.
Taabu Club ran the Karama Project in Cairo with FAJR Global from April to September 2026, supporting displaced Palestinian women through handicrafts and emotional support.
