RONIDA HAJI

Al-Hasakah — Small home-based businesses do more than improve family income; they give women confidence and serve as a source of inspiration for other women to pursue work, production, and economic independence.

Amid her family responsibilities and caring for her five children, Shirin Sheikho (31), from the city of Hasakah in Rojava, managed to turn her passion for candle-making into a small home business, through which she hopes to open a larger store and achieve economic independence, alongside contributing to her family's income.

Sheikho started her project in 2025, despite having no prior experience in candle-making. She says the idea came to her after watching instructional videos on social media platforms, so she taught herself the craft and began working from home, in a way that fits her responsibilities as a mother while giving her the opportunity to work and produce.

She affirms that she strives to be an active woman in her community and to prove that women are capable of building successful businesses despite the challenges. However, despite her project's gradual growth, she faces difficulties securing the raw materials needed for candle-making, since they are not available locally, forcing her to import them from the Kurdistan Region or the Syrian capital, Damascus — which raises production costs.

She explains that most customer orders are for occasion-specific candles, such as those for henna parties, celebrations of success, and special occasions. She also makes a point of producing candles in green, red, and yellow — the colors of the Kurdish flag.

In many cultures, candles are not used for lighting alone but represent a symbol of hope and the continuity of life, appearing in many social occasions and celebrations. Through her designs inspired by the Kurdish flag, Shirin Sheikho seeks to combine handicraft with the preservation of cultural identity.

She describes candle-making as work that requires "patience and precision," explaining that the right temperature, the quality of the fragrances, and the way ingredients are blended are all essential factors in the product's quality. She also stresses her reliance on natural materials to safeguard the health of her customers.