- Title: Embroidered dolls illustrate dreams of Syrians in war-torn Aleppo
- Date: 5th October 2016
- Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (OCTOBER 4, 2016) (REUTERS) DESIGNER MARIANNE MOUSSALI (LEFT) AND HER SISTER AT STUDIO LOADING DOLLS FROM 'THE ANA COLLECTION' INTO A CRATE / ROW OF DOLLS ON DISPLAY ON WALL VARIOUS OF MOUSSALI AND HER SISTER LOADING DOLLS INTO CRATE CLOSE-UP OF DOLLS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CO-FOUNDER AND DESIGNER AT L'ATELIER, MARIANNE MOUSSALLI, SAYING: ''Because I am from Aleppo, I felt like I had to find a way to give back to the people currently residing in Aleppo, because I am not there and cannot return now due to the circumstances there. I wanted to help my aunt who lives there, she is there helping families that are affected by the crisis and the current war, so this is how the idea came -- how can I do something that helps people inside Aleppo?'' VARIOUS OF DESIGNED CLOTH NEXT TO EMBROIDERED DOLL ON TABLE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CO-FOUNDER AND DESIGNER AT L'ATELIER, MARIANNE MOUSSALLI, SAYING: "She (Moussalli's aunt in Aleppo) sent us stories, she sent us pictures, some kids drew, she asked them what their hopes were: 'What are your dreams? What is your daily life story?' Everyone sent something. We took parts from their stories and drew them on each doll.'' EMBROIDERED DOLL ILLUSTRATING THE DREAM OF A FIVE-YEAR-OLD BOY OF GETTING MARRIED MORE OF DOLLS NEXT TO CLOTH WITH DESIGN AND PAINTINGS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CO-FOUNDER AND DESIGNER AT L'ATELIER, MARIANNE MOUSSALLI, SAYING: ''Currently Basmeh & Zeitooneh, an NGO located in the Shatila camp, is responsible for the sewing process. We give them the initial design, they base it on our design and sew. The people sewing in this NGO are also refugees from Syria.'' SHATILA PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMP, BEIRUT, LEBANON (OCTOBER 4, 2016) (REUTERS) CHILDREN IN STREET INSIDE SHATILA PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMP WHERE THE NGO BASMEH & ZEITOONEH IS LOCATED PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET INSIDE REFUGEE CAMP VARIOUS OF POSTER AT STAIRCASE READING (Arabic): 'BASMEH & ZEITOONEH, RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT' (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN REFUGEE LIVING IN SHATILA PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMP, ORIGINALLY FROM HAMA'S COUNTRYSIDE, GHAZALI SHANNO, SAYING: ''What I earn from working here, I sometimes give to my family in Syria, even though I am in need here, I help my husband some months and most of the time I help my siblings. Even though it's a small amount that I send to my siblings, because here it may be small in value but over there (referring to Syria), if I send 10,000 or 20,000 Syrian Pounds every month or two to my brothers and sisters or father, they consider it a big amount, much more valuable than here (in Lebanon).'' SYRIAN WOMEN WITH CHILDREN INSIDE NGO OFFICE VARIOUS OF SYRIAN WOMEN SEWING DOLLS BEIRUT, LEBANON (OCTOBER 4, 2016) (REUTERS) STORE FRONT OF 'ORIENT 499' BOUTIQUE WHERE THE EMBROIDERED DOLLS ARE SHOWCASED DOLLS DISPLAYED INSIDE THE STORE / PEOPLE BROWSING SIGN ON WINDOW READING (English) 'ORIENT 499' BACK OF POSTCARD READING (Arabic and French): 'HANDMADE WORK DONE BY SYRIAN WOMEN, ALL THEIR PROFIT IS GIVEN TO THEIR ASSOCIATIONS' CLOSE-UP OF EMBROIDERED DOLL
- Embargoed: 20th October 2016 11:07
- Keywords: Lebanon Syria crisis refugees dolls design art stories NGO L'atelier
- Location: BEIRUT AND MOUNT-LEBANON, LEBANON
- City: BEIRUT AND MOUNT-LEBANON, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA00152Q761H
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: One small stitch at a time, a simple initiative is sharing the dreams of those living in the war-ravaged Syrian city of Aleppo, and giving them a helping hand.
The Ana Collection, launched by Marianne Moussalli, is an array of embroidered dolls sewn by Syrian refugees living in Lebanon. Each doll carries a dream of someone living in Aleppo.
Moussalli is a designer and co-founder of L'atelier located in Hazmieh. She, along with her mother and sister, came up with the fresh idea to help the people of Aleppo - a city she holds close to her heart.
"Because I am from Aleppo, I felt like I had to find a way to give back to the people currently residing in Aleppo, because I am not there and cannot return now due to the circumstances there. I wanted to help my aunt who lives there, she is there helping families that are affected by the crisis and the current war, so this is how the idea came -- how can I do something that helps people inside Aleppo?," she said.
Moussalli wanted to help the people of her hometown in her own way, not just giving them money but involving them in the process as well.
With the help of her aunt who still lives in Aleppo, she's able to collect some of the hopes and dreams of the city's residents.
"She (Moussalli's aunt in Aleppo) sent us stories, she sent us pictures, some kids drew, she asked them what their hopes were: 'What are your dreams? What is your daily life story?' Everyone sent something. We took parts from their stories and drew them on each doll,'' said Moussalli.
On the back of each doll, there's a note with a name, which is the name of the person in Aleppo who shared a dream - whether it's a story, a drawing or a voice note - and the dream becomes the main inspiration for the design of the doll.
Some of the stories carried by the dolls are heart-melting, others are heartbreaking.
"My son Fadi dreams of getting married. He is only 5 years old," says the caption for a doll with embroidered design of a man and a woman holding hands, shared on The Ana Collection's Instagram page.
"I am Rahaf. My family and I live in a tent today in a public park. My son dreams of going back to our village and seeing it still there," says the caption for another doll with a city skyline design.
Moussalli and L'atelier teamed up with an NGO based in the Shatila Palestinian refugee camp in southern Beirut, so they can involve Syrian refugees living here in the doll-making process.
"Currently Basmeh & Zeitooneh, an NGO located in the Shatila camp, is responsible for the sewing process. We give them the initial design, they base it on our design and sew. The people sewing in this NGO are also refugees from Syria,'' said the 30-year-old designer.
The dolls are sold for $65 each, and the profit is divided between the refugees sewing the dolls in Shatila camp, and the people in Aleppo who shared their stories in order to support them through the current crisis.
The earning may not be much, but every little bit is helpful for those still living in Aleppo, said one of the Syrian women who sews the dolls.
''What I earn from working here, I sometimes give to my family in Syria, even though I am in need here, I help my husband some months and most of the time I help my siblings. Even though it's a small amount that I send to my siblings, because here it may be small in value but over there, if I send 10,000 or 20,000 Syrian Pounds every month or two to my brothers and sisters or father, they consider it a big amount, much more valuable than here,'' said Ghazali Shanno, who fled from the Hama countryside to Lebanon four years ago due to the war.
Moussalli says the initiative comes back full circle. With a simple gesture of sharing their stories with the world, Syrians inside Syria are getting help from Syrian refugees living in Lebanon, who get to participate in the process of bringing some relief to their friends and family back home.
The dolls are currently being sold at Orient 499 boutique in Hamra. The shop showcases them in a basket with a side note explaining that these dolls are made by Syrian refugees and their profit goes solely to the associations involved with this project.
The dolls can also be ordered online by contacting Moussalli directly on The Ana Collection's Instagram.
L'Atelier and Basmeh & Zeitooneh have already sold over 500 dolls, according to Moussalli, but she has a bigger dream of her own. She hopes to expand the reach of The Ana Collection worldwide and deliver the dolls to as many people as possible. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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