10%

Renovating Nineveh

One believer helps re-furnish homes left damaged by former-occupyers Islamic State

By Open Doors

June 15^th, 2023

What a wonderful day! The day that Christians, after years of Islamic State occupation, started to return to their villages in the Nineveh Plain in northern Iraq. For more than two years the black IS flags waved over the cities and villages. Houses were destroyed, burned. It took time to get the homes ready to move again. But, back home in 2017-18, people had to build their lives again. They needed an income. See how Sermad now has a decent income because of your support. We visit his workshop.

From the outside the building doesn’t look like a workshop, it is just like the many other houses in the street. A house built in the Iraqi style of a family home: two stories high with a flat roof. It’s clearly a house that has been well-restored over the past few years, as are most of the other ones in this area in the Nineveh Plain.

But, when Sermad opens the door, this isn’t a normal house at all. Sofas in all stages of production are spread over the rooms, from just wooden frames in the first room, to finished sofas in the kitchen ready to be delivered to a family somewhere in the region. Sermad is the proud owner of this upholstery business.

Dressed in jeans with a blue winter fleece showing the red cross of an English flag, this bearded man is busy putting the blue foam on a frame. First he puts sufficient glue over the plywood. He’s precise, taking care that every square centimetre of the surface is covered. It’s not only glued; when he is satisfied with the gluing he grabs the nail gun that he bought with the support of our organisation and starts shooting the staples through the foam in the plywood to guarantee comfort for the future owners of the sofa.

Sermad (born in 1989) has worked in this business since he graduated. He is married to Abir and they have a child - Valer - who is 18 months old.

“I've had this place since April 2018. I got a loan from your organisation and that was of great benefit to me. After I received the money, I was able to purchase raw materials in bigger quantities. And I could buy new equipment.”

He points at the compressor he frequently uses. A smile on his face. But also the nail gun in his hand. “It was also helpful, as I could buy more raw materials for a better price. Without the loan I wouldn’t be able to buy in such quantities.

“I had a small compressor before I got the loan. I bought a bigger one afterwards, for it’s very useful to do the upholstery.” The orange-colored compressor is quite big; it still looks new and well taken care of. “I also bought a new sewing machine. I had a very old model. I depend a lot on the sewing machine.” He shows the big scissors on the huge table, as he bought those too with the loan he received.

Sermad explains how he works. “I start by visiting my clients at home. There I listen to what they want and I take the measurements in the room where the sofa will be placed.” In Iraq, sofas are often placed against each wall in the living room, giving seating for many family members and visitors. “After that, I connect with the carpenter who makes the frame.”

When the carpenter is finished and the frame arrives in his workshop, Sermad can continue, attaching the foam and the fabric in the colour the customer wants. He shows samples of fabric he can put on the sofas. They vary from very modern colours and materials to the style you see more often in traditionally decorated houses.

He continues his work. It's true handicraft, done with dedication. He takes the measurements of yet another sofa and cuts with a knife the blue, 10cm-thick foam. After gluing and nailing it to the frame, he measures the fabric and starts cutting. Before concentrating again on attaching the fabric, he stops to continue explaining about his business.

Sofas ready for delivery are being stored in what was meant as the kitchen of his house. The sofas are nicely finished. You can see the handiwork in them of a man who wants to deliver quality, a man proud of his products. Wherever you look in the workshop, all is neatly organised and maintained. Obviously Sermad is a man who doesn’t like to work surrounded by mess.

“Thanks be to God, let me say, the work is not bad. The peak season is always the end of the year, before Christmas.” In that period many redecorate their houses when their sofa needs to be replaced. “But also now, we are working.” When looking around, I see at least 15 sofas that, in the coming weeks, will be finished.

“Thank God; the work is going well, the income from my work is good.”

He has clients all over the Nineveh Plain. Things are going so well in his workshop that he hired another person to join him in his business. “I used to work alone, but now my friend works with me. We agreed on working together. So, the workshop became [the source of income] for me and him. The work that we do sustains both of us.”

This craftsman dreams of his business growing further. “Every time I see new furniture and new models and designs, I’m encouraged to move forward with my work. That is my target, to see improvement, more diversity also in the designs. The world changes and new models emerge, so we should grab them and develop them.”

Sermad is thankful to all who donated to make this investment in his business possible.

“In truth, saying “thank you” won’t suffice. My thanks come from the bottom of my heart. You as a supporter helped this work to evolve.”

Button Label

Story Told With

Start publishing stories like this