"To be or not to be is what I will prove to myself and society." This is what Ms. Amina Al Ali, 45 year, said after she successfully completed the first course of the literacy program and enrolled in the second level to fulfill her dream to continue her studies and help her children after the martyrdom of her husband.

She added that she has not been able to learn because of her harsh social conditions, but today she is more determined to go this way and continue her life naturally and find suitable work.

The  three day handicraft exhibition  which was opened on Saturday evening, (December 28), at the Arab culture center in Abou Rumaneh in Damascus showed embroideries plus crochet works, accessories for houses and decoration made by a group of ladies.

“Project for offering support” and "Lamet Amal" association for children with special needs associations displayed wonderful handicraft works.

Kinda al-Homsi who participated in the event told -Syriatimes that “the goal of participating in this activity is to display distinguished hand works”. The exhibition is a chance to show and promote our works, and it's an opportunity to prove that women are able to develop their own projects. "

“We (ladies) participate in this exhibition to brief people on handworks. We displayed our works via social media .However this time we showed our handcrafts directly to the visitors”, al-Homsi added.

Rihab al-Khuja, the exhibition organizer referred to the importance of the event as it supports skills of the Syrian women.

"Women of Syria have got used to being patient throughout the years of the crisis(started in 2011) and continue to make hand designs that show all they have to serve their community" Rihab said.

'Works and handicrafts which are made by children of special needs in the expo send a message to people that they can be effective producers in society" she added.

"Also, there are hand products for trained martyr's mothers to show their products and we have to encourage women who are talented and able to produce handcrafts “Rihab added.

Many visitors were attracted by the beauty and diversity of works.

Interviewed by: Nada Haj Khidr

A new achievement recorded by people with disabilities in Syria, Hoda Haitham Mohamed, the student who discussed her first master’s thesis in sign language and obtained a degree of excellence with honor level.

In the Faculty of Arts at Damascus University, Huda discussed her message which is titled (Social and Behavioral Problems of Children with Hearing Disabilities), and passed her “deafness and dumbness” with language of sign, will, determination, and support of her family and friends.

The study was conducted at the Institute of Hearing Disability in Damascus, and presented a set of suggestions for the professionals under this category to improve their services and to design treatment and counseling programs to alleviate the problems which is facing them and help parents in adopting specific methods to deal with their children problems.

She masters all kinds of manual and traditional professions and works hard and actively to pass on her experiences to everyone who wants to learn it, whether women or children. She is a trainer of manual professions in the Rajaa Association for Special Needs "Nazmiyeh Melhem Ismail" who gave this particular category special care.

Nazmiyeh Melhem is a trainer of handcrafts and a board member in the Handicrafts Association of the Craftsmen Union and a board member of the Heritage Revival Society in Draikish City in addition to being a member of the life skills team of the Ministry of Culture since the beginning of the war on Syria.

Melhem confirms in an interview with her that she worked to train more than 400 women and girls through the  farmers union and the union of craftsmen and the women’s union previously on the profession of sewing and drawing on the glass, and she has many participations in the exhibitions held with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the Basil Gallery and within the cultural centers in Baniyas,Dreikish, Sheikh Badr, and permanent participation in the Sheikh Saleh Al-Ali Festival and the annual exhibition of the Association of Manual Professions.

Lama Razzok

"Syrian Colors"was a bazaar which was currently held at the Sheraton hotel in Damascus where women displayed their distinguished handmade products.

About 120 women participated in the bazaar showing various traditional handicrafts including embroidery, soap, jewelry and Christmas supplies such as clothing, sweets, drinks and food.

The bazaar is an opportunity for women and families to visit and buy what they need and to get acquainted with women's handmade products.

An organizer of the bazaar told Syriatimes: "The idea of organizing the bazaar started in 2016. The aim of holding this activity is to encourage women to develop their work and show them to people who are interested".

"We hope that women who produce handmade works try to develop their talents because women are the colors of our country and we are proud of them".

Participant Samar Domit, who displayed recycled things made of plastic and cardboard, said: "recycling old things is a good talent that aims at preserving environment. Every woman is a talent to her home"

Sahar Tabbara, another participant, displayed different kinds of soap  to be used as gifts for all occasions. "I like this kind of handcraft, and I want to do something special in a modern way," she said.

Interviewed by: N.H.Khidr