Bazaar trainees reap the fruits of their labor and discover their skills

The pleasure and passion of buying new clothes for us and for our children hardly differs no matter what the circumstances are, but when those clothes are of our own making, it is an extra pleasure.  

All this pleasure can be seen in the eyes of Siham Mohammad (37 years old) as she examines the first skirt and the first blouse that she made to her little daughter.  

Mohammad, who was previously working in the Women’s House in the city of Tal-Abyad, joined the vocational training project launched by the GAV organization on July 21, after she was forced to flee following the Turkish military offensive on the city in October last year.  

Since that time, Mohammad and her husband with their four children arrived in Tal al-Samen camp for the IDPs to rely on the aid as a source of support for her family after losing her job.  

Mohammad, who was so surprised when she grabbed the first piece of clothing that she made, expressed her joy saying: “From now on, I can make my future and the future of my family.”  

Mohammad, along with five other female trainees, formed the women’s dressmaking team within the activities of the Bazaar project which provided them with the opportunity to receive the necessary training to develop their skills in this profession, and allow them to launch their own projects despite the difficult conditions of displacement. 

In a similar scene, one can see the passion of Qassem al-Hilal (33 years old), as he trained to master the skills of using razors and provide the best service to his volunteer clients.  

Al-Hilal was displaced from the village of al-Sherkrak after the Turkish military offensive on the area, losing hope in opening his own barbershop, but the matter changed since he joined the haircut workshop within the Bazaar project in Tal al-Samen camp. 

“I was able to make up for all the skills I missed before the start of the project. Now, I am trying to stick to the curriculum steps that have been prepared for the training sessions to provide the best customer service,” al-Hilal said.  

Al-Hilal adds that he deals with every customer as if he is practicing haircut for the first time in his life, which is an indication of his keenness to provide a perfect service, as he put it.  

GAV organization launched the activities of the Bazaar project in Tal al-Samen camp on June 21, aiming at training 24 male and female beneficiaries of the camp’s residents on sewing, dressmaking, hairdressing and haircut, under the supervision of professional trainers.  

The project aims to reintegrate the trainees into the labor market after obtaining professional training, in addition to supporting them with the tools necessary to launch special projects in specific professions, to help them secure steady sources of income for them and their families, and reduce their dependence on humanitarian aid.