MADISON, Wis. — Huda Alalawi is an Iraqi refugee who moved to Madison, Wis. in 2015.
“I have two kids and my husband who supports me all the time,” said Alalawi.
When she was younger, her neighbor taught her a basic crocheting technique. Alalawi said it wasn’t anything special.
As she got older, she kept practicing crocheting. Then, while living in Syria, Alalawi noticed her friend wearing a beautiful dress.
“I said, ‘can you give me that dress so I can use it to make a dress for my niece?’” she said. “At that time, there was no YouTube, and I had to teach myself how to make the dress.”
Now, Alalawi and her business partner Rukaya Qadour have started their own company in Madison called Warda Bayda Artisans.
“Me and my partner […] make hats, scarves, gloves. Anything you want us to make, we can do it,” Alalawi said.
In Syria, a large majority of women are excluded from the labor force.
Alalawi did not have a job while living in the Middle East, but in Madison that has changed.
“I have this hobby and I can use that hobby to make a business,” she said. “I can make money and I found some people here [that] support me all the time.”
She and her business partner have been working directly with Nikki Anderson, the owner of Change Boutique.
“My store is here to lift up and empower women and primarily we source from developing countries,” Anderson said.
Anderson is selling Alalawi’s clothing and jewelry out of her boutique on Williamson Street. She’s not taking any commission on sales of Alalawi’s items.
“As much as it’s about making an income, it is also about that pride of I made this and people appreciate what I made, and in doing so it is building roots and making Madison home,” Anderson said.
Anderson said refugees have many hurdles to overcome when arriving in a new country. Language barriers and culture shock often get in the way of employment opportunities.
Anderson said she is trying to change that.
“When you are caring for young children, you can’t afford to pay for day care when you are not making enough to justify that expense,” Anderson said. “So giving women an opportunity to work from home and care for their children is incredibly empowering.”
Anderson officially welcomed Alalawi’s and Qadour’s wears to Change Boutique on Nov. 3 as a part of Madison’s Gallery Night.
“I hope that they get brand recognition and a following where they get more consistent income,” Anderson said.