Cushions soften the landing for Syrian refugee
When Syrian refugee Muna Alnaser was offered a job sewing again, she leapt at the chance.
Alnaser is one of two seamstresses with refugee backgrounds employed at social enterprise Needs More Cushions.
She arrived in New Zealand with her five daughters several years ago and at the time, she said, they were one of the only Syrian families in the area.
Through an interpreter, Alnaser said it had been difficult adjusting to Kiwi life.
‘‘We felt a bit isolated and we had to get to know the rhythm of New Zealand society on our own. The biggest thing was the language barrier – we didn’t feel like we could communicate with people very well.’’
In the beginning, getting out and about made a huge difference in adapting to a new culture. English classes took Alnaser out of the house and picking up paid employment here and there helped her find her feet.
She started doing some catering work but before long the Red Cross Pathways to Employment team leader came to her about a social enterprise starting up called Needs More Cushions.
Alnaser leapt at the chance to sew again. She had been a professional seamstress for 25 years in Syria, then in Egypt for 18 months.
Three of her children still live in Syria, and Alnaser said that was the only barrier to fully enjoying life in New Zealand – she hadn’t seen them in the last five years.
Needs More Cushions joins Pomegranate Kitchen and Nisa as social enterprises employing people from refugee backgrounds. In this case, the company makes cushions from ethically sourced materials.
Founder Jill McKenzie started Needs More Cushions towards the end of last year and launched an online shop in March.
‘‘I started a blog a few years ago because I’ve always been interior-obsessed and cushions in particular, hence the name Needs More Cushions,’’ she said.
Gradually, her blog started looking more into ethical interiors and traditional craftsmanship.
‘‘One of the issues for most of us is that it’s not really clear where our interiors come from. Someone must be paying the price somewhere to get it so cheap.’’
After seeing similar social enterprises overseas, McKenzie decided to set up her business in Wellington.
She has employed two women: Alnaser and Nubia, from Colombia.
To find out more, visit needsmorecushions.com