Syrian refugee woman in Erbil opens profitable dessert project
Sherin Bakr, a Syrian refugee in Erbil – North Press
ERBIL, KRI, Iraq (North Press) – In a shop in Qushtapa camp in the city of Erbil in Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) Sherin Bakr is engaged in preparing “awameh” (a kind of locally produced dessert in Syria).
Sherin, a refugee woman from Syria, seems professional in preparing and making such a kind of dessert. A nearby young man prepares “qatayef” using a long rolling pin to roll and spread dots of dough. At another corner another young man prepares Knafeh.
Sherin uses her fully-fledged experience to direct workers to have ingredients precisely added notably dough and sugar with no increase or decrease. She, herself, runs the allotted time to cook and check the oven.
Ten years ago, pushed with her family by the war in Syria to the KRI, Sherin commenced her project.
“When we came [to KRI] we found nothing but tents, even roads were not paved. I decided to work. Through my private project I have turned my refugee journey into a success,” she told North Press.
In the Syrian capital, Damascus, Sherin had a sewing and embroidery workshop. She used to focus on this arena of work. However, after going to Erbil she could not afford to buy sewing machine. She had to start anew. She bought a small electric oven. Under her tent, she launched her project.
Bakr learned from YouTube videos. At first, she began to make mshabak, awameh and qatayef, “I followed the recipes. I could add additional ingredients to the recipe. I used to call my friends, and modify [recipes] according to their tastes.”
However, Sherin’s path to success was not a rosy one; making dessert under a tent with no electricity available made her to prepare limited quantities to be sold in the camp she lives in.
After ten years of working under a tent, Bakr was able to open a private shop to make desserts in the camp. She increased quantities produced. She began to sell desserts outside the camp that contributed to improve her living conditions.
In the private shop located in the Qushtapa camp, five young men are working with Sherin who runs the profession.
“Will surpasses impossibilities. I did not expect that by following videos on YouTube, I could open a private shop that would earn me a living. By this job I found myself,” she added.