When
Astera Sits Behind A Sewing Machine At Her Business, Sima, Where She Tailors And Embroiders Clothing.
Key Information
Astera, 32, and her family fled fighting in Aleppo in April 2013and sought refuge in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. “We were forced to leave because of military operations and we came to Erbil seeking refuge,” she said. Astera added that life was good in Syria before the war as she, her father, and brothers all had good jobs that provided for the family.
Astera, 32, and her family fled fighting in Aleppo in April 2013and sought refuge in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. “We were forced to leave because of military operations and we came to Erbil seeking refuge,” she said. Astera added that life was good in Syria before the war as she, her father, and brothers all had good jobs that provided for the family. Adjusting to a new life in Erbil was difficult and soon after arriving, Astera’s mother and brother fell ill. “We discovered they had Hepatitis and that complicated things for us even more,” Astera recalled. Numerous medical expenses and limited job opportunities made life even harder for the family. Through friends though, Astera heard about DRC’sjob center supported by the European Regional Development and Protection Programme in the KasNazan area of Erbil. There, she was able to complete a training course on entrepreneurship and receive a business grant to open a dress-making and embroidery shop where she employs three other people. “Now I have my own business,” she said. “I support my family, three other workers, and I plan to expand by buying a bigger embroidery machine.”
With the grant, she purchased equipment and materials for her tailoring business, including sewing machines, irons, scissors, and fabric. Now, she provides services to her community such as simple repairs and customizations and reported a 50 % increase in her customer base and started serving new customers from different areas.
Before receiving the grant, her business's monthly profit averaged $67. After receiving the grant and support, her net monthly profit increased to $150, reflecting a 124% increase.
Prior to her involvement with Near East Foundation, she had not participated in any technical or vocational training, but she found the Business Development Training (BDT) particularly useful, especially the insights into capital preservation, personal empowerment, and customer management. Her plans now include expanding her business by opening a workshop to train girls in sewing.
Her journey reflects the power of financial support combined with emotional resilience. Though she is still early in the process, the progress she has made highlights the importance of self-care, the strength of support systems, and the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.
Near East and DOT Lebanon implemented the activities and the project was funded by the RDPP during the 2nd phase of the programme.