Micro-entrepreneurship project “Love Scarves”

 

 

Beneficiaries: Refugee Camp of Atma.

Cities / Regions involved: Atma

Period: October2013 - ongoing

Sources of funding: Entrepreneurs Italian textile field, Private donations

Total cost for 2013: more than 13.500 euros

Project Status: ongoing

It’s a micro-entrepreneurship project, developed with the help of Italian entrepreneurs who belong to the textile field. Its aim is to help women to develop a small activity in order to give them the chance to perceive an earning. We provided the Female Centre in Atma with about 100 Kilos of wool, and we devised a scarf model that can be manufactured by women themselves using a special stitch called the Love Knot. We decided to use this particular stitch to represent the link which can connect Italian women to the Syrian ones.

When we visited the refugee camp in Atma, we had the chance to meet the women attending the Female Centre. Thanks to our humanitarian convoy, we could also bring them wool and other yarns as a donation from Domenico Basile to increase small businesses within the camp. Increasing small businesses is an idea we are developing together with Maram Foundation, willing to make the refugee camp financially independent. This way, what’s now a passive camp can turn itself into an active community that works, and not only lives on the aid coming from abroad. With this new initiative we are mainly addressing women and those small female activities which can be carried out at home, in a tent. Activities that can help employing one’s own time, make the winter pass, and can also be useful to sustain one’s own children. A small stitching work that we will do together with them, a crocheted scarf that we will name “The Love Scarf”. Everyone will use the same stitch, called “the love knot”, which has been chosen as a symbol to represent the endless wire of love and hope connecting us all. Both the works manufactured in Italy and those produced in Atma will be then sold in local and Christmas markets, the proceeds will be used to provide aid and assistance to Syrian children, women and men. The activity, started in the Atma refugee camp, has now also developed in the cities of Homs, Daraa and Aleppo. Italian women too are manufacturing “The Love Scarves”, this way giving help to Syrian women.

 

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