Iman fled the Syrian war but a micro-grant made her self-sufficient

The rhythmic pulse and hum from two sewing machines are suddenly quiet as textile business owner Iman Hamid Al Karaki stands and welcomes visitors into her home in Khirbet Ghazaleh in southern Syria – a 20 minute drive from the devastated city of Daraa.

This home – her family home – has seen a lot. It has been a place of refuge for her extended family; it was a place of fear when war arrived at her door step; and now it is a place of entrepreneurial spirit and hope.  

Spools of thread stand ready over the sewing machines, and patterned pieces of fabric are scattered on the floor. In one corner, several foam mattresses lean against the wall waiting for their fabric covers that Iman is working on.

The Syrian economy is decimated by 13 years of civil war, and families that are displaced (or recently returned to their homes) are struggling to make a living so that they can provide water, food and safe shelter for loved ones. The Danish Refugee Council empowers small business owners like Iman through micro-grants.

Iman’s story is a reminder on this International Women’s Day that women are ready to rebuild Syria and their communities; and they must be supported and included in its long-term recovery.

For Iman, who is the head of her household, the micro-grant meant the purchase of sewing machines and a solar-power system in a country where electricity is unreliable and scarce. Through her small business, Iman is able to support her sister, as well as her brother, his wife and five children.

“DRC’s help was vital, providing enough support for two families to become financially independent and sustain themselves through this project,” she said proudly.

Iman’s story is one of survival and resilience. From 2013 to 2018, she and her relations fled to nearby villages when the civil war made it too dangerous to stay home. “The thing that kept me going was fear... fear due to the explosions,” she said.

Returning to Khirbet Ghazaleh, she found her home still standing, but the community around it was scarred. On this cold winter afternoon in February, women from the neighbourhood pile into her home workshop, seating themselves on sofa and chairs near the sewing machines.

Iman’s home business is a community hub of women supporting each other. They tell stories of a schools that lack teachers, equipment, and even heating; medical clinics that don’t have supplies and medicines; and nearby land littered with unexploded mines and weapons. The women have not lost hope – and neither has Iman.

“For the future, I hope for the success of my project. I would love for my project to expand. I would love to move the business out of the house and into a shop,” said Iman. “The sewing machines are ready as is the person operating them.”