The Monaco Government and its International Cooperation Department are proud to have contributed to the success story of Diyaa Khair Eddine, a Syrian refugee who fled his war-torn country with his family and was able to open a shoe-making workshop in Casablanca, with the support of the United Nations Refugee Agency.
Diyaa’s story stems from the partnership signed in 2011 between the Government and the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Morocco.
Forced to rebuild his life as a refugee in exile, in 2014 Diyaa arrived in Casablanca, a dynamic city on the Moroccan coast where he settled with his wife and their two children. He started from scratch by setting up a workshop in an alley, and spent long hours making sandals, clogs and barefoot.
“At first, I worked between 18 and 20 hours a day and I lived 20 kilometres from Casablanca,” Diyaa said. “I had two hours of transportation every day to get to work.
“Little by little, things have improved. Today, I have four Moroccan employees.”
The 37-year-old’s perseverance paid off and her determination to survive helped her retain customers and get more orders thanks to the grant she received from UNHCR, the United Nations Development Agency (UNAIDS). refugees, which allowed him to buy his first sewing machine.
His success was the topic of a recent TV programme – “Kolona abtal” (We are all champions) – that aired on channel 2M.ma in Morocco.