Filipinos for Palestine Tatreez Keychain

Product Features

• Double-sided Tatreez keychain, handmade by Asia, a Palestinian refugee currently based in Cavite, Philippines.
• One side features the Palestinian flag, while the other showcases the Philippine flag, symbolizing solidarity.
• Please note that slight variations in color shades may occur due to the handmade nature and limited supply of this craft.

A Message from the Artist

I am Asia, a Palestinian from Gaza, Palestine. I am married to a Palestinian-Filipino and have two children. My husband and I both hold bachelor's degrees in accounting. We had a beautiful life filled with peace, love, and a home with warmth and tranquility.

However, because of the war in Gaza and the tragic hardships we faced, including fear, and the lack of basic necessities like water, electricity, food, and medical care. We were forced to make a difficult choice. We had to decide between staying in dangerous and unbearable conditions or leaving for the Philippines in search of peace and safety, even if it meant leaving my family behind in these dire circumstances.

We managed to come to the Philippines, leaving behind our home, family, city, and countless memories. At the time, I was pregnant with my daughter, Mela. Just a week after arriving here, I gave birth to her prematurely, in the eighth month of my pregnancy. The events in Gaza, combined with the exhaustion from travel, took a toll on me. Mela had to stay in the hospital nursery, and sadly, I wasn’t able to see her at first.

Next month will be my baby’s first birthday, but unfortunately, my lovely home in Gaza has been completely destroyed. In the midst of these challenges, I started a small business called Asia Embroidery as a source of income for my family. It was here that I discovered my talent for embroidery. I had only embroidered one piece before in Palestine (it was a Hello Kitty, lol).

Now, I create each piece with love and joy. I currently make keychains, paintings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, book dividers, and more. I also have new ideas that I look forward to designing in the future.

Proceeds

100% of the profits will be donated between Asia’s community, the Gazan families living in Cavite, Philippines, and the Canadian Palestinian Foundation of Quebec in support of The People Stand with Gaza International Fundrasier (between Nov 22-23). For the updated donation amounts and transparency report, please check out this link.