Under the beating sun at Glastonbury, up the hill by the Park Stage is a small tent with a sign of a white ribbon hanging over the entrance.
On rails outside and hanging on the walls and tables inside is a plethora of bags, blankets and scarves.
For five days this was the pop-up home of the charity, Oshana, who work to help Syrian women ‘one stitch at a time’.
The ethos of the charity is to provide a dignified income for the women in these war-torn countries who want to work but do not have the skills necessary to get a traditional role.
The Park Stage area was also their home the year before when they designed a line-up poster for the stage.
Oshana is a project of Makani, a charity that works to support refugee women in their home
Manning the store at the festival was Tabitha Ross who has spent 20 years working in programmes and communications for NGOs, focusing particularly on the Middle East.
She founded Makani and its outlet Oshana alongside Itab Azzam, Co-founder and Executive Director, and Mona Fattali, co-founder and Director Emeritus.
In a statement on their website Fattali said: “After we made Antigone, a strange and powerful self-confidence filled my life. I started working for the first time. I started to make decisions at home. I found my makani and I am proud to be creating that space for others.”
Azzam said: “The word makani, ‘my place’, has so many meanings for me. As refugees, we all left our places we loved and called home, and we’re all trying to find new ways to belong. At the same time, I grew up in a society where women aren’t equal and don’t have opportunities. This is my way to help give women a space to thrive.”
At Glastonbury – whom they have a close working relationship with – I went to chat to Tabitha Ross about the work that the charity does.
Featured image credit: Rosie Beveridge
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