Beit Doqu Development Society
Jerusalem
Beit Doqu Development Society is a nonprofit charitable organization established in 1988 by a group of active young people in the village of Beit Doqu, a picturesque agricultural village near Jerusalem in the central West Bank. It is a public institution for every citizen of the village and provides cultural, social, agricultural, and health services in the community. It also aims to enhance the status and role of women through income-generation activities.
The village used to prosper from agricultural export to the Gulf states and its close proximity to Jerusalem. However, over the last decade, the expansion of Israeli settlements, road network and the Separation Wall have completely encircled the village, resulting in the loss of a large area of agricultural land, a vital source of livelihood. Sunbula began the jewelry-making project for women who sought economic opportunity by setting up the workshop and a training course. Sunbula’s designer taught beading techniques and basic metal work, including cutting, sawing, melding, and polishing, and helped the women create jewelry for sale.
The Beit Doqu jewelry collection includes delicately hand-crafted necklaces, earrings, and bracelets from brass, silver, and semiprecious stones, using Islamic styles and Arabesque designs. The Society also runs the food production unit, and their tomato sauce, fruit jams, and dairy products are popular.
Beit Doqu Development Society
Beit Doqu, Jerusalem District, West Bank
Telefax: (+972) 02-247-2480
[email protected]
