Rabab Sleiman is a self-taught trainer from Lebanon, who is playing a pivotal role in reviving the traditional
craft of palm leaf weaving and teaching the skill to young Lebanese and Syrian refugee women Rabab
strongly believes that the training she has provided has had a positive impact on the 17 women beneficiaries
from UN Women’s Japan-funded project “Strengthening Resilience and Protection of Women and Youth in
Host Communities”.
I teach women the traditional craft of palm leaf weaving. It’s a craft with great potential and has given
me the financial means to provide for my family and raise three children. For almost a decade, palm
leaf weaving was my only source of income.
Palm leaf weaving involves a detailed process: first, we harvest fresh fronds from the tree, then we dry the
leaves, cut and wet them before making braids. Everything begins with a braid. For a small basket, you need
a braid that’s one metre long. Bigger baskets need more braids.
It’s an old, but dying craft, rooted in the ancestral traditions of my hometown, Amchit, where the palm trees
grow abundantly. Our ancestors produced many things from palm leaves, including fishing baskets and hats.
Today, the younger generation seems less interested in the craft. I am a self-taught person; I observed my
elders weave palm leaves, and that is how I learned the basics and gradually improved my own technique.
I lived in the United States of America for the last thirteen years. I returned to my country to train more
women in this craft as a way of preserving the tradition, while improving their livelihood. When I heard about
the UN Women project, I immediately joined as an instructor.
I just completed a one-month training session, conducted through Safadi Foundation, as part of the project,
where I trained 17 women—both Lebanese women and Syrian refugees in Lebanon—in palm leaf weaving. At
first, they looked at the thorny palm leaves skeptically. But they worked hard and learned quickly. Now, they
are so attached to their handcrafted items that they hold them with care, as if they were their own babies!
Some quick learners are prepared to become instructors themselves.
The women came from different backgrounds, education and income levels, and the project helped in
promoting dialogue and social cohesion.
I believe that women are agents of change. Every woman whom I have trained in this UN Women project is
committed and keen to transform her life.”
