Knitting a Better Tomorrow in Refugee Camps

A NFP organization advancing women’s economic rights and access to employment in refugee camps.

The Problem

Tight-Knit Syria is a small not-for-profit that works with a collective of twenty-five Syrian artisans in Shatila Camp, Lebanon, to introduce their beautiful hand-made items to the many consumers around the world who love ethically sourced items with a story. In this way, needlework allows our collective to earn an additional income for rent and medical care; to allow their children to stay in school instead of working; to get productive, and to seek each other out to knit together or learn new techniques, which eases some of the anxiety and loneliness of life in exile. But Tight-Knit Syria is a small organization, whose impact could be many times bigger if we had the resources to impact more families and allow our artisans to take a hand in running their own business. The women of our collective have gone from refugees to artisans. With your help, they can go from artisans to entrepreneurs, in 3 steps: Education, Technology and Network.

The Solution

By choosing Tight-Knit Syria you are choosing to invest in the lives of 25 Syrian refugee women as well as allowing us to expand our mission to more beneficiaries. We will do this by developing the current project to new heights through investments in educational/vocational training for the artisans, access to better technology and expanding on our network of local and international stakeholders. This project will allow Syrian refugee women to earn an income, develop their skill sets and improve their well-being.

This will simultaneous tackle multiple problems that thousands of Syrian refugees must face including; child labour, migration by sea, eviction (rent for living in Shatila refugee camp ranges from $200-$300 usd), decline in mental and physical health and general poverty. By investing in Tight-Knit Syria, you are empowering refugee women to earn an income and gain some financial independence in turn lifting pressure off vulnerable host communities and humanitarian organizations. The very act of knitting and embroidery is reported by medical journals to lower heart rates and blood pressure, reducing stress and increased self-esteem. Working in social settings like 'knitting circles' also creates a sense of community and friendship with other residents of the camp, allowing for a safe space to communicate, share advice and provide emotional support and even the very joy of laughter.

Stage of Development

  • Early Stage
  • Established Prototype
  • Scaling
  • Other

Organization to Receive Funds

Tight-Knit Syria

This project was nominated by: