“Ustura”: Cooking flavours of hope
In the heart of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, on the vibrant Valaoritou Street, Shaimaa welcomes a large crowd of men, women, and children with the warmth of a gracious hostess. Today marks the opening of her restaurant, and this charming alley is filled with the enticing aromas of homemade cuisine. Guests eagerly line up, anticipating the delicious flavours Shaimaa has prepared.
The restaurant is named “Ustura”, which means “myth” in Arabic – a choice that holds deep significance.
“The entire journey, from the moment I left Iraq with my children because we were in danger, through our safe arrival in Greece, how my children grew up, and how I managed to open this restaurant – it’s all like a myth”, Shaimaa explains.
The 44-year-old woman arrived in Greece in September 2018, alone with her three children. After being granted refugee status and feeling safe in Thessaloniki, Shaimaa decided to turn her hope for a brighter future into a reality.
Shaimaa welcomes her guests at the entrance of her restaurant named "Ustura", which means "myth" in Arabic. The crown on the logo symbolizes the reward for the hardships Shaimaa has overcome to succeed. ©UNHCR/Socrates Baltagiannis
Mamdouh, who works in Shaimaa’s restaurant, specializes in roasts and stews. ©UNHCR/Socrates Baltagiannis
The food in the restaurant is handmade, even the French fries, which Shaimaa feels that she cooks for her children. ©UNHCR/Socrates Baltagiannis
“I want to open my own restaurant”, Shaimaa declared with an iron will when she first visited the Employment Service of the Blue Refugee Centre (BRC), run by the non-governmental organization SolidarityNow in Thessaloniki, in the summer of 2023. Shaimaa had been familiar with the Centre since 2019, when she first sought integration services, including Greek language lessons for herself and her son.
During her initial meeting with Mary Asvesta, the coordinator of the SolidarityNow Employability Service, Shaimaa shared her vision. Although she had studied nursing in her home country and attended sewing classes in Thessaloniki, cooking was her true passion. In both Iraq and Greece, cooking is associated with important occasions, and Shaimaa always enjoyed preparing meals for large gatherings. This passion drove her to want to open her own restaurant, where she could offer the flavours of her homeland.
However, the project seemed daunting. While Shaimaa had some experience working in a restaurant kitchen, she lacked knowledge of other crucial aspects of running a business, particularly financial management. Moreover, she didn’t have the financial resources and struggled to secure the necessary funding.
“Despite all the hurdles, Shaimaa attended our meetings consistently for an entire year without interruption. She had will power, stability, determination, and an unwavering desire”, Mary recalls.
The BRC Livelihoods Programme, implemented at the Blue Refugee Centre in partnership with UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency*, aims to provide holistic support to refugees and asylum-seekers helping them integrate into the labour market and, ultimately, into social and economic life. The programme’s team of consultants, employability and legal counsellors, social workers, and accountants, supported Shaimaa through her challenging journey into entrepreneurship. They helped her create a business plan, find the ideal location for the business, and identify potential funding sources. Additionally, they guided her through administrative and accounting procedures and supported her in accessing welfare benefits, such as applying for rent allowance. Their ongoing support has been crucial for Shaimaa in rediscovering hope in Thessaloniki.
Shaimaa’s restaurant is decorated with colourful lights and a wooden sign wishing prosperity and good neighbourliness. She also invited an artist from her homeland to paint murals of her favourite locations in Thessaloniki on the walls, including the place along the promenade where she used to spend time with her children in the past.
“The cuisine may be Arabic, but I want to forge a connection with Thessaloniki, where the restaurant is located, because I feel that the city gives me strength”, she shares.
Both in Iraq and in Greece cooking is associated with important occasions, and Shaimaa always enjoyed preparing meals for large gatherings. ©UNHCR/Socrates Baltagiannis
News about Shaimaa’s restaurant spread quickly, and on opening day, many residents, both Greeks and refugees, eagerly lined up to try her homemade dishes, prepared with fresh ingredients. Many excitedly expressed their intention to return as regular customers.
“Shaimaa exemplifies that anyone of us can get back on our feet, choose which dreams to chase, and become an integral part of the community. However, for this to happen, we must be given opportunities and essential support”, explains Lefteris Konstantopoulos, Head of UNHCR’s Field Office in Thessaloniki.
Despite the numerous challenges in its implementation, Shaimaa’s idea carries a powerful message she wants to share with every woman.
“Have courage, don’t lose hope, and keep fighting until you achieve your dreams”, Shaimaa says and her face is brightened by a smile as her dream comes true.
———————–
“Hope Away from Home” is a global UNHCR campaign calling for renewed solidarity and firm commitments from states to uphold the rights of people seeking safety from war, violence and persecution. Granting access to asylum, family reunification, access to employment and education are all ways states can show people fleeing war, violence, and persecution that there is hope away from home.
* UNHCR’s programmes are implemented thanks to the flexible funding received from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United Stated of America.