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
https://arab.news/ctwtf
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
King Salman appoints Dr. Majid Al-Fayyad as advisor to the Saudi Royal Court
- Al-Fayyad has been executive general supervisor at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre since 2017
- He graduated in 1990 from King Saud University’s medical school and has amassed decades of clinical, academic and administrative experience
JEDDAH: In a royal order issued on Wednesday, King Salman appointed Dr. Majid Al-Fayyad as an advisor to the Saudi Royal Court.
Al-Fayyad is the executive general supervisor at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, which has facilities in Riyadh, Madinah and Jeddah. He graduated in 1990 from the medical school at King Saud University in Riyadh, and has amassed decades of clinical, academic and administrative experience.
In the US, he undertook specialized training in pediatrics at Tufts University, and in pediatric cardiology at Columbia University. He holds several certifications and degrees, including a master’s in medical administration awarded by the University of Southern California in 2015.
He was appointed in 2017 to his current position at King Faisal Specialist Hospital, where he has helped spearhead key reforms to the Saudi healthcare sector. He has also played important roles in national healthcare committees and initiatives, earning recognition for his contributions to research and administration.
Saudi deputy FM receives UK ambassador in Riyadh
Saudi Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi was visited by UK Ambassador to the Kingdom Neil Crompton in Riyadh on Wednesday.
The ambassador visited to bid farewell on the occasion of the end of his tenure in the Kingdom, the Foreign Ministry wrote in a post on X.
Al-Rassi praised the ambassador’s efforts in strengthening and advancing relations between the two countries.
Riyadh museum to host interactive camp for kids
JEDDAH: The National Museum in Riyadh will launch its third interactive summer camp, themed “Made in the Museum,” for children aged 10 to 12, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The initiative is part of the “Year of Handicrafts,” celebrating Saudi Arabia’s cultural heritage and its role in shaping national identity and intergenerational bonds.
The camp has two sessions: July 21-31 and Aug. 4-14, running daily from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., both inside the museum and outdoors.
Designed as an educational and immersive experience, the camp invites participants to explore and revive traditional Saudi crafts, the SPA added.
Children will engage in hands-on activities in four core tracks: clay crafts, textiles, woodworking, and supportive crafts, blending play, learning, and exploration.
This year’s camp strengthens the museum’s role as a community hub, providing children with opportunities to develop critical thinking and design skills while inspiring their imagination and showing the cultural and economic importance of handicrafts.
The camp encourages children to make and show their projects at the end of each session, helping them feel confident and encouraging new ideas and creativity.
Riyadh hospital succeeds in rare disease treatment
- The hospital has provided 22 years of care for a patient with a rare genetic blood clotting disorder, culminating in a successful liver transplant — the first worldwide for this condition
RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh has provided 22 years of care for a patient with a rare genetic blood clotting disorder, culminating in a successful liver transplant — the first worldwide for this condition.
Diagnosed in infancy with congenital plasminogen deficiency, the patient required ongoing treatment to manage fibrous deposits affecting her tissues and organs, according to a press release.
Over the two decades, a multidisciplinary team including hematology, transplant specialists, nursing, nutrition and IT supported her care, the report said.
The patient’s father said: “She suffered from birth and couldn’t nurse. We had no clear answers until we found hope through the care provided by the Saudi government. After 22 years of struggle, we witness our daughter’s recovery.”
The treatment involved regular plasminogen infusions and eyedrops to reduce the disease’s effect on her vision, with annual costs exceeding SR6 million ($1.6 million), fully covered by the government.
Dr. Hazzaa Al-Zahrani, director of the adult hematology and stem-cell transplant division at the center and supervising physician, said that managing the case required a precise and long-term approach to prevent complications and ensure stability.
He said that the decision to proceed with a liver transplant came after careful consideration as an extraordinary therapeutic option for this exceptionally rare case.
The procedure’s success marked a turning point in her medical journey and was a beacon of hope for patients with similar conditions worldwide, Al-Zahrani added.
Program to boost youth, SME role in Saudi economy
RIYADH: The Small and Medium Enterprises Loan Guarantee Program, known as Kafalah, in collaboration with the Riyadh Chamber, will hold interactive sessions on July 15 to mark World Youth Skills Day.
The initiative aims to raise awareness and develop entrepreneurial skills among youth, entrepreneurs and SMEs, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The sessions will cover key topics to boost youth contributions to national economic development, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform plan.
Focus areas include access to finance, building administrative and financial capabilities, enhancing SME sustainability, and turning ideas into viable projects.
These sessions highlight the collaboration between entities supporting the SME sector in the Kingdom, the SPA added.
The Kafalah program and Riyadh Chamber aim to foster youth growth and strengthen their role in the national economy.
Kafalah supports micro, small and medium enterprises by providing financial guarantees, improving their access to financing and reducing lending risks for banks.
