Art in any form can serve many different purposes including making money or reviving dying skills. It can also help build cultural bridges and strengthen ties between nations.
Jida Choura’s business not only generates cash but preserves the 200-year-old Syrian embroidery techniques of breem and sarma, which she has been introducing to the younger generation of Saudis.
The 27-year-old’s startup, ByJida, offers products such as prayer mats and tablecloths.
Choura graduated from the University of the Arts London where she studied illustration and design and moved to Jeddah after getting married.
The initial aim of her venture is to raise awareness of the Syrian art in Saudi Arabia and then promote it on a global stage.
She got the idea for her business while furnishing her house in Jeddah with her own decorative designs.
“It is a tradition that when you get married, people come to your house to congratulate you. When my in-laws came over to my place, they asked me about the different decorative items in my house. To their surprise, I told them that I designed them myself,” Choura told Arab News.
Inspired, she started designing and creating different products for family and friends with people asking her to customize items to suit their needs and tastes.
As demand grew, she began looking for opportunities to work with textile companies and to hone her skills went to Syria in search of artisans experienced in embroidery.
However, due to the war in Syria, many people had fled the country and she was only able to find four people in the capital Damascus who still carried on the art. “Trying to find people to work with was the biggest challenge I had to face, as this is a dying art,” she said.
“Also, convincing the embroiders who were all in their 50s to work for a woman of my age was challenging. Some of the embroiders I was working with were called into war and shipping fabric from Syria to here was also a challenge.”
They focused on two types of embroidery; breem, which is done by hand with a silk and cane thread, and sarma, using cane thread and involving stuffing by hand to give the embroidery thickness.
Currently, her products are being sold in Homegrown, Crate, and via Instagram.
Choura said: “Every selection that we put out is something special. We have worked with Zahra Breast Cancer Association to raise awareness. Our collections usually depend on where I get my inspiration from, for instance, we did jewelry pouches which were inspired by the beautiful springs in Montreal.
“The one thing I am most proud of is raising awareness about this kind of embroidery in Saudi Arabia and being able to slowly make my brand grow. Another thing I am proud of is training young embroiders in Syria. In the end, the money that I get from my products, a huge part of it goes to keep the workshop operational and keeping the art alive.”
Choura added that she was hoping to expand her product range to include table runners and jewelry pouches.
Startup of the Week: Building bridges and reviving a dying skill
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Startup of the Week: Building bridges and reviving a dying skill
- They focused on two types of embroidery; breem, which is done by hand with a silk and cane thread, and sarma, using cane thread and involving stuffing by hand to give the embroidery thickness
Saudi project clears 1,050 Houthi mines in Yemen
RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 1,050 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.
The total included 1,020 unexploded ordnances, 24 anti-tank mines, three anti-personnel mines and three explosive devices, according to a recent report.
Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said a total of 488,656 mines had been cleared since its inception in 2018.
The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.
The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.
The initiative trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.
Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate safe movement for civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Kingdom launches $293m water projects in Qassim
- These projects align with the company’s strategies to expand water and environmental services
RIYADH: The National Water Co. has begun implementing 16 water and wastewater projects in the Qassim region, with a total cost exceeding SR1.1 billion ($293 million).
These projects aim to expand water and sanitation services and meet rising demand, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
The sanitation component includes 12 projects worth more than SR870 million, involving the installation of more than 645 km of sewage pipes and networks, as well as the construction of lifting stations with a total capacity exceeding 6,000 cubic meters per day.
The water component consists of four projects valued at more than SR247 million, including the laying of more than 579 km of water pipelines and networks.
These projects align with the company’s strategies to expand water and environmental services, meet growing demand, and improve the quality of life and services, in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030.
Golden heron graces skies of Northern Borders region
- Wetland bird thrives along seashores, rivers, reed beds
RIYADH: The skies above Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region come alive each year with the graceful flight of migratory birds, from golden herons gliding over wetlands to flocks seeking respite.
Member of the Aman Environmental Association and birdwatching enthusiast Adnan Khalifa told the Saudi Press Agency that he recently observed several species of migratory birds in the region — most notably the golden heron — in various water bodies scattered across the area’s wilderness.
The golden heron, a wetland bird, thrives along seashores, rivers, and reed beds. Its plumage, a vibrant golden or orange hue, transforms in flight as its wings flash white, creating a dazzling spectacle visible from a distance.
Feeding on small fish, amphibians, and insects, golden herons typically nest in small colonies but often roam alone outside the breeding season.
These birds breed in reed marshes, atop trees, or along the shores of lakes and rivers.
The Northern Borders region serves as a vital migratory corridor, its strategic geographical location bridging Europe, Africa, and Asia, and its diverse landscapes — lush with natural vegetation — attracting both migratory and resident bird species.
This steady stream of birds through the region signals a thriving ecosystem, reflecting the region’s ecological health and balance.
These natural scenes during migration seasons add aesthetic value and cultural richness for local residents and visitors, including nature enthusiasts and environmental observers.
Migratory birds play an important role in the ecosystem by dispersing seeds, controlling insect populations, and enhancing biodiversity, making them a vital element in sustaining the environmental life cycle.
Saudi ministry supports Balkans Qur’an contest
RIYADH: The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, through the religious attache at the Saudi Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has concluded the preliminary qualifiers for the largest international Holy Qur’an memorization competition in the Balkans.
The event was organized in cooperation with the Islamic Sheikdom in Kosovo and coordinated with the Saudi Embassy in Albania, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
There were 2,350 contestants from 22 countries, including Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Italy, Turkiye, Greece, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Estonia, Belgium, Ukraine, Georgia, Russia, Belarus and San Marino.
Of these, 160 contestants qualified for the final round, to be held May 8-11 in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, where they will compete in five categories.
The competition offers a total prize pool of SR500,000 ($133,000), with an estimated organization cost of SR1.2 million.
Sheikh Naim Ternava, grand mufti and head of the Islamic Sheikhdom in Kosovo, expressed gratitude to the Kingdom for its ongoing support.
He praised the ministry’s various programs aimed at promoting a moderate understanding of Islam and reinforcing the values and teachings of the Holy Qur’an among Muslims in the Balkans, particularly in Kosovo.
Kingdom ensures health, safety for Hajj pilgrims
- Saudi authority to oversee food, medicine, medical facilities under comprehensive plan
RIYADH: The Saudi Food and Drug Authority is implementing a comprehensive plan to ensure the safety of food, medicine, and medical products provided to pilgrims during the Hajj season.
These efforts are being carried out under government directives, reflecting its commitment to serving pilgrims and ensuring their comfort and safety, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The authority will monitor and inspect products under its supervision at air, land, and sea ports of entry for pilgrims, the SPA added.
It will also oversee food and pharmaceutical facilities and medical sites in Makkah and Madinah, as well as seasonal medical facilities affiliated with Hajj affairs offices, in coordination with the Ministry of Health.
In addition, the authority will monitor products arriving via air freight from Hajj affairs offices at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah.
Its initiatives during the Hajj season include field studies and awareness workshops for staff in approved food preparation kitchens to ensure compliance with health standards to provide safe meals to pilgrims, in collaboration with the municipalities of Makkah and Madinah.
The authority will also deliver multilingual awareness messages and informational programs to pilgrims on food and drug safety, according to the SPA.
The initiatives reflect the authority’s ongoing efforts to deliver optimal regulatory services, enhance coordination with government agencies for a successful Hajj season, and reinforce the Kingdom’s leadership in crowd management.
