by: Mena Abdulrazaq

During my visit to one of the shopping malls in the Saidia area i walked in to one of the old and well known stores and i noticed a number of accessories and specially the ones made of pearls because it’s usually what attracts me, And i also noticed its good quality, so i asked the respectful store owner about their price and i found out that it was relatively cheap considering its quality and price in the market ,which i know because of my passion for pearls therefore i can recognise the good quality and the bad one. And as an Iraqi Builders volunteer when we find a good quality raw materials and low prices which could support our accessory making which is sold in the teams charity market or the page designated for selling our goods #اكسسوارات_الخير which supports our team.

And in an attempt to get them or to inquire about where to get them from, i asked the owner about them and she said that this kind of pearls is unavailable because it’s very old, She got them somehow from Japan, she told me to return later and see if she could get me some of them, but she wondered if i was working in making accessories and i said no,and told her that i don’t need it but i know a group that does, then i left her and returned after a period of time and asked her and she said she couldn’t provide me with it, but she said that she does have some of them, not alot, but i will sell it to you. Then she started telling me her story with accessories and how she used to make them since the 90’s and how she made the best kinds of accessories for the tourists and how her pieces where unique and that she keeps some materials to make accessories every now and then because it’s her favourite hobby and she doesn’t want to abandon it because it reminds her of her sweet memories with this hobby that hurt her eyes and her backbone but she still feel happy whenever she makes any piece of accessory.

She talked as i watched the passion in her eyes and then she inquired about my insistence on having these materials so i started telling her about our teams’ story and how we help the displaced, the orphans, and the poor. And that our volunteers make accessories for the purpose of selling them to support the teams’ work. The lady started shedding tears and told me to wait, she brought all she has of her precious materials and told me to choose whichever i liked, or i could simply just take it all together , i was shocked for a moment because of the way she spoke about her materials and her hobby which is also her craft, she spoke with passion and love, she described it (the raw materials) with love and attachment. So i told her that i can’t take it , it’s yours . So she said ” and now it belongs to you ladies who make accessories, consider it as a contribution from me to your amazing work, “you must take it” she added ” and i wish i could be of more help to you but i have faith that you ladies will produce accessories as amazing as your team and its work. “And i hope to see the accessories once you’re finished making them. After that she shed some tears and started praying for the team, and then i shed some tears and took with me her sweet memories and plenty of raw materials, and through the entire way home i couldn’t stop thinking that it’s easy to give away many things but it’s hard to give away the things that means so much to you, even if it was just a simple thing, it would still mean so much for the contributor.

What a beautiful feeling it is to give away a part of your memories for a good cause!. Then i distributed the raw materials among the teams heroines and they finished making them, and then the accessories that was made were featured in our charity market which was held in the Hunting club, and the attendance where remarkable, therefore i sent her ‘the previous owner of the raw materials’ many photos of the new pieces, then I and the team sent our regards and appreciation to the generous owner of the ‘Modern Woman’ boutique located in Al-Saidia, and said to her that she is an amazing example of humanity and that the team have been honoured by your contribution, and may you always be a source of hope and an inspiration to us all, and also to assure her that her memories have been turned into beautiful pieces and its proceeds have became a shelter to a displaced person, food for the hungry, and a hope for the hopeless.
May you always remain helpful for every Orphan and to those in need.
The charity market #اكسسوارات_الخير
Turn your shopping experience into a charity.