The steadfastness of Majdwin and Amal Mustafa shine after the losses suffered by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria – Syrian Arab Republic

One year after the devastating earthquake that struck northern Syria and southern Turkey, stories of resilience and hope continue to emerge. Homes, schools, factories, workshops and businesses were partially damaged or destroyed, affecting people's lives. Losing a livelihood that took many years to create is an unimaginable scenario. For those affected by the war in northern Syria, it has been a nightmare.

Sustainable resilience and self-reliance through business recovery

The earthquake in Turkey and Syria has struck an already war-torn region, affecting the livelihoods and businesses of local residents and adding to the suffering of already exhausted and economically struggling people. People affected by the disaster had to deal with the new reality of living in tents or damaged houses while worrying about rehabilitating their homes and restoring their livelihoods.

Majdoline, a mother of seven children, whose husband has been missing for years, lost her detergent shop. She and her son had opened and managed it for years, but all their products and materials spoiled after the disaster.

Majdoline and her eldest son Ahmed overcame the arrest of his father, who was the family’s breadwinner, by setting up a home workshop to make and mix detergents in 2015. Ahmed learned the trade while working abroad to make ends meet. “I wanted to open my own detergent workshop to support my family. At first I worked from home. I started with low capital, distributing the first products to my neighbors to promote my business. I had never worked before, but I was not ashamed to have a shop and work.” “Majdoline says.

With many facilities reduced to rubble in northwestern Syria, the commercial sector has suffered a clear recession, causing sharp increases in prices and a sharp decline in job opportunities and demand for goods.

To support and recover affected small businesses in northwest Syria, we launched the Small Business Grant Recovery Project funded by 2015 coalition partners Helvetas and Swiss Solidarity to strengthen early recovery efforts and initiatives. The project targeted families that depend on their small businesses and enabled them to regain their self-reliance and resilience by helping them rebuild.

“I learned about the project and signed up for it. A team from PIN scanned my store, and I was later accepted. My happiness was indescribable. I was really happy for me and my children,” says Majdoline. She was among 232 people in her hometown who received support to recover their business.

“I received a grant in two installments and purchased shelves, raw materials, barrels and various detergents. “I added new things to the store, like household items,” Majdoline says.

Despite the difficult experiences they have gone through, Majdoline is full of hope and maintains a smile and a spirit of courage. “I have always been interested in work, and I am always optimistic. Therefore, I want to improve my work even more. Majdoline concludes by thanking everyone who was part of this project.”

Hope amidst devastation

The stories of despair, defiance and hope also include young people who were already dealing with war and the loss of opportunities to work or study. Mustafa, like many of his peers, is just one example. Until 2013, Mustafa was a student at the Faculty of Mechanics and hoped to become a mechanical engineer. His dreams and ambitions faded due to the war and the deteriorating security situation in Syria.

Despite dropping out of university, Mustafa did not give up and was able to learn how to cut sheets of glass. In 2016, he opened a small shop for cutting and selling glass and carbon fiber sheets in Azmarin, near his city.

When the February earthquake struck, Mustafa recalls: “We felt our house shaking violently, and we got up. I hugged the children and ran outside. People were running and screaming, saying that Khalid’s building had been destroyed.” Given the massive destruction this town had witnessed and the high death toll, Mustafa did not check on his shop. “I didn’t remember coming to inspect the shop until thirteen days later,” he told us. “My main concern was my parents, my neighbors, and my family.”

He was shocked that most of the parts were completely broken and unusable.

“I closed the shop for more than a month as the entire market was closed because people left for tents and camps in search of safety. I did not think at that time about getting any humanitarian support from any organization,” says Mustafa. With losses estimated at around $2,000, the It is difficult for Mustafa to re-establish his business. Mustafa was excited when he saw our project for companies affected by the earthquake. He registered immediately and was accepted.

“I attended a five-day training and later received a $1,000 grant. I was hoping to start my business again with the support I received,” Mustafa says.

“I also bought mirrors. I am really grateful to the organization and the teams and I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart,” Mustafa says. “These small businesses play an important role in the village’s economy,” Mustafa concludes.

Difficulties can make you stronger and teach you to overcome challenges, and this is the lesson Mustafa learned from the earthquake. He never lost his spirit of hope and desire in the midst of devastation and grief.

Supporting the 232 business owners to recover their businesses and become self-reliant would not have been possible without the generous support of 2015 alliance partner Helvetas and Swiss Solidarity.

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