GAZA CITY: Reham Hamouda makes a point of walking around her restaurant to ask if customers are satisfied with the offerings available in her women-only eatery.
Recently opened Sabaya VIP restaurant in Gaza City caters exclusively for female diners.
“The restaurant was an idea, and it became a reality. There is financial independence for me and other female workers in this restaurant. All of them are women too,” Hamouda told Arab News.
The mom-of-five studied English at a university in Gaza, and she has worked for several local non-governmental organizations.
She said: “Working in NGOs was good, but it is insufficient and unstable. That is the main reason which prompted me to establish my own business with funding from my husband, who resides in a foreign country.
“Restaurants are a good and acceptable idea as well as popular in the Gaza Strip. So, a different project from what is prevalent was launched to make it good for customers.”
Hamouda noted that her restaurant was frequented by women of all ages and from all walks of life.
The Gaza Strip, which has been ruled by Hamas since 2007, is a conservative society and most women wear headscarves.
“In this restaurant, you find women, especially the veiled ones, who feel very comfortable sitting in a private environment without facing embarrassment from the presence of men.
“Some of the women visitors remove their veils as if they are in their home, which makes them feel happy,” she added.
Gaza suffers from high rates of poverty and unemployment, and 80 percent of its population depends on food aid, according to UN statistics.
Women make up around 49 percent of the population in the Palestinian Authority, according to a report issued by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics in March 2021, and unemployment rates among men and women are high.
Seven women work in the restaurant kitchen or serving customers, and all of them are married.
There are several restaurants and cafes in Gaza, some that cater only for men and others that welcome families.
Alaa Thabet, a partner of Hamouda, said the Sabaya VIP restaurant stood out not only because it was just for women, but due to its quality of food and affordable prices.
She said: “We provide food and drinks at reasonable prices in addition to offering a menu for those who follow a healthy diet.”
Mother-of-six Thabet, who hails from Ramallah and lives in Gaza City, added: “We live in a conservative society. We do not allow hookah and smoking is not allowed in the restaurant as part of observing the societal customs and traditions.”
She pointed out that the restaurant project allowed the women who worked there to achieve self-sufficiency.
“This is a pioneering project that is different from any other project in the Gaza Strip.
“We seek to make a profit for us as owners, and at the same time we provide support and assistance to our workers, who are specialists in this field, both in terms of experience as well as efficiency,” she said.
