Meet Gaza’s top businesswoman
Mona Adnan Ghalayini, Gaza’s top businesswoman, talks to Al-Monitor about her journey to reach the position she currently occupies despite the social restrictions.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Mona Adnan Ghalayini grew up in the Beach refugee camp, west of Gaza City. Her middle-income family gave her the freedom to study abroad and choose a profession that suited her, unlike the conservative families of a lot of girls, who were only allowed to major in fields deemed suitable for women, such as teaching, nursing and administration. Ghalayini began her career as a hotel receptionist and now manages five establishments — hotels, restaurants and shops — in Gaza.
Ghalayini is the only Gazan woman supervising tourism and commercial projects in Gaza. She received an accounting diploma in Jordan in 1992 and subsequently got into the tourism sector in Gaza, working in hotels and restaurants. She is now the most prominent businesswoman in Gaza. Al-Monitor interviewed Ghalayini in Gaza City at the Roots 2 Hotel, which she manages.
The text of the interview follows.
Al-Monitor: When and how did you start working in the hotel industry? How long did you work in the industry? Did your father support you?
