Meet the Makers: Khouloud - a Syrian Love Story
Khouloud is a member of Oshana’s knitting club, a Syrian refugee, and a woman who has always had to fight against the odds to realise her own dreams and protect her loved ones.
Khouloud and her husband were childhood sweethearts, but her parents did not approve of the match.
Here she shares her story.
“They pressured us and wanted to separate us… They forced me out of school. Then the war started, and my love had to leave before they took him to serve in the military. He refused to leave before we were engaged. He insisted. After a long battle with our families, they finally let us get engaged.
After we got married and started a life together a more difficult battle began. He left to Lebanon and I followed him after a short time. He started working 18 hours a day. I was alone and out of fear I used to block the main door with a sofa. I got pregnant, nine months of exhaustion, but my son arrived and made my life better.
I started to open my main door, I was less scared, but Tarik my husband started to fall ill. The doctor said he had a slipped disc and that he needed to stay at home, but he kept working. I gave birth to a daughter, now I had another friend, but as usual happiness didn’t last. My husband, my main support, became very ill, he couldn't move anymore . The love of my life had fallen down. Covid hit and life became very expensive. I thought it was my turn to support my family so I started to work, work hard, so I could make enough money to feed my family.
Tarik had an operation but he still can’t go back to work, he can only sit or stand for a short period of time. He helps me around the house, gets the food ready, teaches the children. We laugh and sing together, he sings in a comic way to make me laugh. He tries to create a happy atmosphere. We are both broken but we are both a walking stick for each other.
I will stay strong for myself and my children. I am not tired because of the responsibilities, I am tired because of the constant fear. But, in the same way that we held each other's hands at the beginning, we will hold our children's hands until the end.”
Despite all her family have suffered, Khouloud holds them up through her love, laughter and resilience. As a member of Oshana’s knitting club, she is now the main breadwinner. She has found her own support network through Oshana, working alongside women who have suffered similar trauma, and who champion each other’s will not just to survive, but to thrive.
(1m x 1m)
‘Habibi’ means ‘my dear’ in Arabic. These blankets make a meaningful and joyful gift for a child to keep forever, or to keep you snuggly while working from home.
When you buy one of our cosy habibi crochet blankets, you enable Syrian mothers to keep their children warm too - not to mention paying for food, a home, and education. Many of our artisans’ children were previously out of school as they had to work to help their families eke a living as refugees in Lebanon. Now they are studying again.
As for the blankets themselves, they are simply beautiful.
Every one is unique, the exuberant creation of an expert crocheter, done without a strict pattern. Each is signed in the corner by the maker.
SPECIFICATIONS
1m x 1m
Can be machine washed at 30 degrees, on a delicates/ wool setting.
