VIDEO: Displaced Syrian Kurdish sisters run thriving bakery in Rojava

DERIK, Syrian Kurdistan (Kurdistan 24) – Four Syrian Kurdish sisters from the town of Kobani established a successful bakery in the country’s north-eastern Kurdish town of Derik, overcoming gender stereotypes, a Kurdistan24 documentary-maker reported on Thursday.

The four sisters who learned the art of baking in Damascus wanted to open their store in Kobani, but because of the deteriorating conditions in the town, they moved to Derik.

“Society was against us, and nobody supported us,” said Fatima Saleh, the oldest sister who runs the store.

“We were living in Damascus and then we moved directly to Derik,” she lamented, expressing nostalgia for her hometown that made headlines in 2015 for defeating the Islamic State against all odds.

However, after the initial cultural resistance to female entrepreneurship, the neighbors could not ignore the mouthwatering pastries and poured in.

Although the sisters work for about 16 hours a day, they have high morals and rely on singing to ease the work pressure and reminisce about their hometown.

“Many told us we are just girls and cannot run a business, but we challenged them and now we are making various types of pastries, especially for Eid,” said Zozan Saleh, the second sister.

“Our business is successful and the number of our customers is increasing,” she said.

“Many of those who rejected our idea at the beginning now come and say they are proud of us,” the second sister concluded.

Editing by Ava Homa

(Additional reporting by Dilovan Cheto from Derik)