BEIRUT, March 20 (Xinhua) -- In the Shatila refugee camp south of Lebanon's capital Beirut, a group of Syrian women sat around, busy embroidering. They were so focused on their work that even the arrival of visitors did not distract them.
Zeinab Al Mokdad, 44, a mother of three, is the group's supervisor. In another room, she showed Xinhua the finished embroideries, including bookmarks, bags, dolls, clothes, and pillows, which take between three hours and 15 days to make.
"Embroidery is traditional Syrian craftsmanship. The embroidered products here are designed by ourselves," Mokdad said proudly.
The refugee camp was established in 1949 to house Palestinians displaced by the first Arab-Israeli war. Starting with simple tents erected on an empty plot of ground, Palestinians gradually constructed buildings in the camp and formed a tightly-knit community.
Since the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011, tens of thousands of Syrians fled to Lebanon. Many of them, including Mokdad, settled in Shatila.
Due to the limited employment opportunities for Syrians in Lebanon, many have to pick up odd jobs. As a woman, Mokdad spent most of her time at home doing household chores, while suffering the trauma of war in an unfamiliar environment far from her homeland.
In 2021, she came into contact with an organization named Alsama, which means sky in Arabic. The organization provides refugee women with the opportunity to earn an income to support their families through embroidery. They are allowed to work at home and complete it in between household chores.
For Mokdad, the job not only brings in an income but also allows her to meet more women in similar situations.
"Embroiderers share their experiences with peers when working, soothing each other in an intimate exchange," Mokdad said.
Soon, Mokdad was promoted to the manager of the group. Under her leadership, more than 20 women, mostly Syrians, have so far joined the team. Mokdad intends to gather 50 in the future.
Ahad Horan, 30, is a mother of five. She sees herself not as a worker but as a member of this loving family.
In addition, returning home with a paycheck has significantly improved her confidence and status in her family, Horan told Xinhua.
Horan dreams of becoming a famous designer and creating popular embroidery pieces in the future to improve the embroiderers' living conditions and make more people aware of the traditional Syrian craftsmanship.
Fifteen-year-old Esraa Al Kassmoo is the group's youngest member and the only translator. She was only four years old when her family moved to Lebanon from Aleppo, Syria.
Growing up in Shatila, Kassmoo used to be very shy. Since serving as a translator for the embroiderers, she has become increasingly confident in contact with people from different cultures.
She comes to work every day after school. Although her income is not high, she feels fulfilled that she can support herself, not having to ask her family for pocket money.
"My family used to worry about my mental state, but now they are proud of me," Kassmoo said, adding she cherishes the job and the opportunity to get an education.
Through learning embroidery, Kassmoo discovered her keen interest in design and art and her talent for mathematics. She wants to become an engineer and combine her interests with a career.
"One day in the future, I hope to return to Syria and rebuild our home with my skills," Kassmoo said with determination.
