North Sinai Products - Traditional Bedouin embroidery and weaving

Several NGOs are active in El Arish with the aim of helping the Bedouin women of the isolated villages of North Sinai to earn a more regular income and to have more direct control over their own lives, through awareness building, poverty alleviation and mobilisation.

Preservation of the cultural heritage of North Sinai is another aim of this initiative.

Nowadays, approximately 500-600 women participate in this programme. They have also access to literacy classes, health education and health services. Currently, the Associations run two income-generating activities - embroidery work and weaving.

The embroidery designs are adapted from the local traditional dresses that girls prepare in anticipation of their wedding day. The motifs are bold and geometric, using mainly red and blue. The stitching used is a fine cross-stitching.

The hand-woven textiles are inspired from the local woollen kilims.

The traditional weaving technique on outdoor pit looms has been adapted to weave cotton kilims on indoor looms. The striped designs and soft rich colours are typical of the area.

The Fair Trade Center also presents products that are sold by the Bedouin women directly on the weekly Bedouin Market in El Arish