Uplifting Syrian Women

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“To continue is a success, persistence itself is a great success.” Sally Ghannoum, the Syrian woman who was chosen as one of the most influential people in the city of Antwerp. In an appreciation of her role, her portrait was placed in the Sint Anna Voetgangerstunnel alongside the portrait of the mayor of Antwerp and some successful and influential personalities. Who is Sally Ghannoum? A Syrian artist, film director, humanitarian, and businesswoman in Antwerp, Belgium. I emigrated with my husband, the engineer and poet Issam Youssef, and my son Andy from Syria at the end of 2015. How did you take your first steps? In the summer of 2013, the trunk of the large Dilbi tree broke off in Mashta El Helou. My husband, our friend the lawyer Wael Sabbagh, and I turned to the international Syrian sculptor Alaa Muhammad. To make a sculpture inspired by the trunk of the Dilbi tree, and we called it the statue of birth. During the work on the sculpture, we would sing, play music around the tree of Dilbi, and invite all passers-by to join us. Since then, the Dilbi Cultural Forum was established in Mashta Al-Helou in Syria. When I arrived in Belgium with my family in 2015, I decided to pursue my studies in film directing. I got a scholarship at an American Directing University in Antwerp and excelled with distinction. Then I directed the video clip of "Helwa Ya Baladi" and the short graduation film "Red Wine". How did the idea of ​​establishing the Dilbi restaurant begin? While directing the graduation film, my husband served Syrian food to the staff. They liked our Syrian food very much and suggested we open a Syrian restaurant as a joke. But this idea stuck in our minds and we decided to open an authentic Syrian restaurant, which we called The Dilbi Restaurant. Through the restaurant, I had the opportunity to work with the largest theaters in Antwerp. My first job was at the Toneelhuis Theatre. I presented a joint work between Belgium, Austria, and Italy with Iraqi director Mokhallad Rasem in the play "Mother song". After that, I presented several traditional Syrian musical evenings in important theaters such as the Arenbergschouwburg. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them? After launching our first small restaurant "Dilbi Falafel", we worked 14 hours a day. The work was very stressful and with poor income. We suffered from the financial climate and the high taxes due to the dishonesty and exploitation of our accountants. As a result of my husband's illness, we had to close the restaurant after 1 year and 7 months. later, one of our clients suggested that we contact Microstart, which provides loans to small businesses. And that's what we did, and here our lives changed and we also had a volunteer consultant from Microstart. We bought a place at a good location and success began, many important politicians, businessmen, businesswomen, and artists visited us. I became an influential businesswoman for Microstart and was invited to many conferences and workshops. And when the pathway and effects of the Coronavirus pandemic became somewhat clear, we established our second restaurant in Antwerp. How did music contribute to your success? Despite the fatigue and hard work in the restaurant, I did not leave the music and used to perform many musical evenings. This prompted my husband and me to open the Dilbi Cultural Forum in Antwerp, funded by the two Dilbi restaurants, in 2020. As an artist, I am a big believer in music. I teach traditional Syrian songs through the Whisper organization and also individually to foreigners in an Acapella style. And Arabic music finds a beautiful and influential acceptance by people, and most of the attendees at all my musical evenings are Belgians and foreigners. Music is truly the language and soul of the world. What are your tips for anyone still searching for their way? We can not be weak in the face of crises, we must unite and act with wisdom, rationality, and strength to survive. Me, through my meetings and some conferences and workshops for businesswomen, I encourage women to start their projects and look to the future differently. The world is constantly changing, and we, as human beings, do not say that we should deviate from the trend. But we have to act wisely and rationally to get through any adversity in life. There is no perfect life anywhere in the world but we are the ones who make a difference. What is the difference between a successful and an ordinary person? Success is not only in the beginning, but to continue is also a success, persistence itself is a great success. We must have a clear vision of what we want, and the goal must be clear and we strive to achieve it. There are no ideal conditions for success, crises will not end. Time and circumstances change and we have to be flexible in a way that we do not lose our identity but rather develop and refine ourselves. What are your future goals? My goal is to leave a mark in this world before I leave it, humanity is my goal. I hope to work until my last breath in this life, and grow and expand as the branches of the Dilbi tree all over the world. From this touching story, we learn not to give up, we learn to stand up after every failure, and we learn to find opportunities or create them if they do not exist. Do not hesitate or be afraid to pursue your goals, take the initiative and try even if you fail. ♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education, Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.

Success Story: Sally Ghannoum

“To continue is a success, persistence itself is a great success.”

Sally Ghannoum, the Syrian woman who was chosen as one of the most influential people in the city of Antwerp. In an appreciation of her role, her portrait was placed in the Sint Anna Voetgangerstunnel alongside the portrait of the mayor of Antwerp and some successful and influential personalities.

 Who is Sally Ghannoum?

A Syrian artist, film director, humanitarian, and businesswoman in Antwerp, Belgium. I emigrated with my husband, the engineer and poet Issam Youssef, and my son Andy from Syria at the end of 2015.

How did you take your first steps?

In the summer of 2013, the trunk of the large Dilbi tree broke off in Mashta El Helou. My husband, our friend the lawyer Wael Sabbagh, and I turned to the international Syrian sculptor Alaa Muhammad. To make a sculpture inspired by the trunk of the Dilbi tree, and we called it the statue of birth. During the work on the sculpture, we would sing, play music around the tree of Dilbi, and invite all passers-by to join us. Since then, the Dilbi Cultural Forum was established in Mashta Al-Helou in Syria.

When I arrived in Belgium with my family in 2015, I decided to pursue my studies in film directing. I got a scholarship at an American Directing University in Antwerp and excelled with distinction. Then I directed the video clip of “Helwa Ya Baladi” and the short graduation film “Red Wine”.

 How did the idea of ​​establishing the Dilbi restaurant begin?

While directing the graduation film, my husband served Syrian food to the staff. They liked our Syrian food very much and suggested we open a Syrian restaurant as a joke. But this idea stuck in our minds and we decided to open an authentic Syrian restaurant, which we called The Dilbi Restaurant.

Through the restaurant, I had the opportunity to work with the largest theaters in Antwerp. My first job was at the Toneelhuis Theatre. I presented a joint work between Belgium, Austria, and Italy with Iraqi director Mokhallad Rasem in the play “Mother song”. After that, I presented several traditional Syrian musical evenings in important theaters such as the Arenbergschouwburg.

What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

After launching our first small restaurant “Dilbi Falafel”, we worked 14 hours a day. The work was very stressful and with poor income. We suffered from the financial climate and the high taxes due to the dishonesty and exploitation of our accountants. As a result of my husband’s illness, we had to close the restaurant after 1 year and 7 months.

later, one of our clients suggested that we contact Microstart, which provides loans to small businesses. And that’s what we did, and here our lives changed and we also had a volunteer consultant from Microstart.

We bought a place at a good location and success began, many important politicians, businessmen, businesswomen, and artists visited us. I became an influential businesswoman for Microstart and was invited to many conferences and workshops. And when the pathway and effects of the Coronavirus pandemic became somewhat clear, we established our second restaurant in Antwerp. 

How did music contribute to your success?

Despite the fatigue and hard work in the restaurant, I did not leave the music and used to perform many musical evenings. This prompted my husband and me to open the Dilbi Cultural Forum in Antwerp, funded by the two Dilbi restaurants, in 2020.

As an artist, I am a big believer in music. I teach traditional Syrian songs through the Whisper organization and also individually to foreigners in an Acapella style. And Arabic music finds a beautiful and influential acceptance by people, and most of the attendees at all my musical evenings are Belgians and foreigners. Music is truly the language and soul of the world.

What are your tips for anyone still searching for their way?

We can not be weak in the face of crises, we must unite and act with wisdom, rationality, and strength to survive. Me, through my meetings and some conferences and workshops for businesswomen, I encourage women to start their projects and look to the future differently. The world is constantly changing, and we, as human beings, do not say that we should deviate from the trend. But we have to act wisely and rationally to get through any adversity in life. There is no perfect life anywhere in the world but we are the ones who make a difference.

What is the difference between a successful and an ordinary person?

Success is not only in the beginning, but to continue is also a success, persistence itself is a great success. We must have a clear vision of what we want, and the goal must be clear and we strive to achieve it. There are no ideal conditions for success, crises will not end.

Time and circumstances change and we have to be flexible in a way that we do not lose our identity but rather develop and refine ourselves.

What are your future goals?

My goal is to leave a mark in this world before I leave it, humanity is my goal. I hope to work until my last breath in this life, and grow and expand as the branches of the Dilbi tree all over the world. From this touching story, we learn not to give up, we learn to stand up after every failure, and we learn to find opportunities or create them if they do not exist. Do not hesitate or be afraid to pursue your goals, take the initiative and try even if you fail.

♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education, Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.