NABLUS, June 11 (IslamOnline.net) – With her husband detained by the Israeli occupation forces, Umm Suhaib found herself in charge of her family, not just to protect the children, but also to provide for them.

Like other Palestinian women, she never loses hope, even in the cruelest moments. The majority of Palestinian women know the feeling; the husband is either detainee or wanted by the Israelis.

The occupation practices render life a constant struggle for all Palestinians. Shouldering responsibility at home in the absence of a husband under such circumstances is, by no means, a job far from easy.

Umm Suhaib decided to follow in the footsteps of her husband; resist the occupation, but in a different way. Her struggle, however, is not any less significant than his.

Apart from bringing up and sustaining her children, she started working to provide her children with their needs for living and education.

Married to Sheikh Taissir Omran, imam of Al-Ruda Mosque in Nablus and member of the political leadership of Hamas Movement, Umm Suhaib refused to surrender to hopelessness.

She launched her small business for pastry making to provide for her children: Suhaib, her elder son, her daughter Umama, a student in the faculty of Engineering, Al-Nagah National University in Nablus, Khabib, a high school student, and the five-year-old Yasmin.

In an interview with IslamOnline.net Thursday, June 10, Umm Suhaib spoke of her experience saying, "The sufferings of my family started several years ago when Sheikh Taissir was detained for several times; the first of which was in 1990 up to 1994.

"Two years after Al-Aqsa Intifada (September 2000), the occupation troops started to chase him again. He left home and I remained the only breadwinner in the family, even while he is out of jail."

"The occupation troops kept chasing my husband till he was detained June 10, 2003 (exactly one year ago), to be cross-examined up to this current moment," she resumed.

On how the idea of making pastry occurred to her, Umm Suhaib said, "It occurred to me through the different kinds of pastries I used to serve for my guests: pastries with cheese, wild thyme or meat. When my neighbors admired my pastries, they suggested that I make more and join fairs held by charities in Nablus for food products.

"I dedicated a part of my house to set up a small, low-cost oven with an amount of money I saved with my husband to secure the future of our family," she added.

She elaborated that the presence of an oven in her house made her job easier and helped her continue making pastry, pointing out that her elder son, Suhaib, is the one who deals with customers.

"I started marketing my products among my neighbors. My reputation has become widespread day after day. I have joined the Center of Cultural and Artistic Roots with 300 pieces of pastry along the three days of the fair and sold all pastries I made," she said.

"My participation in such fairs has increased. After I had made pastries with cheese and wild thyme, I started making pastries with hot dogs, spinach and minced meat," she added.

Umm Suhaib kept developing her business and distributed her pastry products among several schools in Nablus, including Kamal Hunbalat, Al-Hajja Rashida and Ibn Qutaiba schools.

Umm Suhaib starts her business day at 6 a.m. up to 12:30 p.m. She dedicates several hours, during that time, to her house work. "Thank God, I manage both my house and business and I have never been negligible towards my family."

"I get Suhaib wake up in the morning after bringing everything home. He makes home deliveries and deal with customers, while I prepare dough and put it in the oven," she adds.