Damascus countryside, SANA- Returning, along with his family, to al-Ghouta, from al-Harjaleh make-shift center, Ghassan Khamis, began the rehabilitation works at Zahret al-Sharq (Flower of the East) furniture gallery in the town of Saqba, which has long been visited by customers from all Syria and many countries of the world because of its reputation in the field of furniture industry for more than fifty years.
In his gallery, which is located at the main street downtown Saqba, Abu Mahmoud re-tidies the pillows of his beautifully decorated beech-made sofa which tells that skillful hands have made it. Beside the beech, Abu Mahmoud tells SANA reporter, “there are dark and dusty wardrobes that were parts of the remaining pieces of furniture after the terrorists have stolen a group of them and set fire with the factory.
Despite the losses inflicted upon him, Abu Mahmoud says he is determined to start again. “We think of going back to our work and our factories, and we are confident that the furniture industry will flourish again in Saqba with the efforts of its citizens,” he says, looking at some pieces of furniture.
Meanwhile, Mona al-Khateeb, Um al-Nor, began arranging her new life after returning with her family to their house. Um al-Nor cleaned her house and planted a number of eggplant seedlings in its garden. She said “In the morning, I used to make bread by myself.. All beautiful habits and traditions will be restored.”
She described the atmospheres in Saqba as safe and hopeful.
Um Ghassan Family, another family starts a new life in Saqba. Um Ghassan said: “We try to restore a new life at our house as we cleaned it. Since we returned homes in the holy month of Ramadan we are practicing the ritual of this month as in the past.”
H. Zain/ Ghossoun