Meet Suhair Antar: Belonging and Beadwork
Suhair first came to Taabu for her children’s activities. She found women like her, learned beadwork from scratch and hopes to sell her pieces abroad.
Pictured
Suhair Antar in a blue headscarf threading a needle over red and green beadwork
FAJR’s leadership on Our TeamTaabu gave me a little of the sense of belonging and familiarity I used to have back home in Gaza.
Suhair Antar, 38 | Palestinian Artisan & Mother of Three
I’m Suhair Antar, a 38-year-old Palestinian mother of three. My husband and children are here with me in Egypt, but displacement changed so much of the life we once knew.
I first came to Taabu because my children needed activities. But I needed something too: a place to spend time, connect with others and find an emotional outlet.
In Gaza, we were used to having family and relatives all around us. Here, without that extended family and familiar community, I felt something important was missing. At Taabu, I found women with backgrounds and experiences like mine, and a space where I could feel at ease and connected again.
I also learned beadwork here, starting completely from scratch. What began as a way to fill my time and express myself has become a skill I hope to turn into an opportunity.
My husband, who had been our family’s main provider, was injured in Gaza, and today we no longer have a steady income. My goal is to keep developing my work and one day sell my handmade pieces in Europe and other international markets, so this skill can support our family.
For me, Taabu has become both a place of belonging and a place where I can begin building something of my own.
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.
