• Admin
• Jan 26, 2026
• Local Business Success Stories

From Hobby to Successful Business… The Story of a Woman from Idlib

The young woman Marah Al-Salloum, 24 years old, from Ma’arrat al-Numan in Idlib Governorate, mastered the art of embroidery since she was twelve years old. She began her journey in the world of embroidery as a hobby, and over time, her skills developed until she became highly proficient in handmade and artistic work professionally.

Marah told us: “During my high school years, I participated in many school exhibitions, and teachers and classmates often relied on me to complete their art displays with my distinguished works. Despite my excellence, I was forced to stop studying and marry at an early age due to the circumstances of war and displacement.”

She did not let motherhood and household responsibilities steal her dream and ambition to have her own embroidery business. Marah decided to use her free time and challenge the harsh living conditions to launch a hand-embroidery project with modest resources.

She started working on embroidery using wooden frames to create artistic pieces based on customer requests. These are often gifts for special occasions such as graduations, engagements, or gifts for newborns. With every gift she makes, she innovates a unique method different from what is available in the market, leaving her personal touch both in the artwork and in the packaging and presentation. Marah says she “searches for ideas that are different, moving away from conventional and stereotypical designs in her products and artistic works.”

Marah faced many challenges in her work in handmade arts, the most prominent of which were obtaining the necessary threads and tools and their high prices, which made the production cost of any piece expensive. Additionally, marketing her work to a wider audience beyond her circle of family and friends was difficult, despite their encouragement and admiration for the quality of her work.

She told us that she started marketing her work among relatives and friends, which made her business very limited. Then she moved on to digital marketing, creating several pages for her work on social media platforms, where she began showcasing her pieces and receiving orders from customers who wanted unique, custom-made artistic items. She began posting her work on Facebook and Instagram, but faced significant challenges in the beginning, as she did not receive many orders during the first six months. This was due to the high cost of materials such as frames, threads, needles, and fabric, as well as the distance between the stores where she bought her supplies and her place of residence, which increased her financial burdens.

Nevertheless, Marah did not give up. She continued improving her skills and marketing her work online. Thanks to her persistence and effort, orders gradually began to increase, and she became known for the quality of her work and her distinction from the market.

The story of Marah Al-Salloum is a living example of the strength and determination of successful Syrian women. Despite all challenges, she was able to turn her hobby in embroidery into a successful business and expand the scope of her work through dedication and perseverance. Her story shows that success can be achieved no matter how difficult the circumstances, and that passion and hard work are the keys to realizing dreams.