EMİLY SALLOUM

Deir ez-Zor — A sewing workshop, the first of its kind in the town of Al-Kasra, was opened by the Women's Economy Committee in the city of Deir ez-Zor, northeastern Syria to promote women’s economic empowerment by organizing training courses for them.

It was opened last year

The sewing workshop was opened last year on May 15. “Five expert tailors work for the workshop. There are four sewing machines, and a knitting machine in the workshop. Every day, each tailor prepares six outfits. An employee manages the sale of clothes in the region's marketplaces. Every day, eight or 10 pieces are sold,” said Aisha Ahmed, the director of the sewing workshop.

Aisha Ahmed complains about the lack of support to speed up the pace of work and improve productivity because the prices of the fabric are increasing.

To activate the role of women in community service

The workshop's purpose, according to Najwa Hassan, administrator of the Women's Economy Committee in Deir ez-Zor, is to “grow the women's economy and activate the role of women in community service.”

Training courses

She emphasized that the workshop aims to promote women’s economic empowerment by holding training courses, “Expert women tailors teach women how to sew so that we increase the rate of women participating in the labor force,” she added.  It is worth mentioning that the Women's Economy Committee is in charge of providing fabrics and security for the workshop.

Maryam Ali, a tailor, thinks that opening the sewing workshop was an excellent idea since it gives an opportunity to women to work, get experience, earn money, and develop their skills.