Meet Reda Al-Shaer: Embroidery and Friends
Reda came to Taabu to learn Palestinian embroidery. She found friends, a place outside the home and a craft she shares with her 15-year-old daughter.
Pictured
Reda Al-Shaer in a brown patterned headscarf sewing white fabric beside a Palestinian flag
FAJR’s leadership on Our TeamI came to Taabu for one clear reason: I wanted to learn Palestinian embroidery.
Reda Al-Shaer, 55 | Palestinian Artisan
I’m Reda Al-Shaer, and I’m 55. After everything we lived through during the war and displacement, life became much smaller. We stopped going out as often, and being far from home made it harder to keep up the social life we once had.
I came to Taabu specifically to learn Palestinian embroidery. But as I learned this new craft, I also began meeting new people, making friends and finding a social space outside the home.
My 15-year-old daughter comes with me, and she is learning crochet. Having a place where we can both learn and spend time with others has become something we enjoy together.
At home, I also crochet. But for me, crafting isn’t about earning an income. I make things for myself because I truly love the process. Crochet has become part of my daily routine, and sometimes I wake up early just to sit down and work on a piece.
It keeps my hands and mind busy, and it gives me a reason to step away from my phone, the internet and the constant stream of painful news.
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.
