Inam Al-Shayeb

Inam has an infectious and ever-present smile, despite upheavals and troubles that she has been through. Along with her husband and four children, Inam fled Damascus in 2012; they lived in Egypt for one year, Dubai for another, and settled in Istanbul in 2014. (Just a few years later, one of Inam’s sons migrated to Germany, through the Mediterranean, to continue his college education — the move was a risky and nerve-wracking experience.)

To stay connected with and share her Syrian culture, Inam turns to food. This passion, she realized, could be used to support her family, and she started selling Syrian-style falafel at a local farmers market, quickly gaining fans. During her time with the LIFE Project, Inam not only learned skills necessary to grow her business but the confidence to use them — no small feat for someone accustomed to falafel being something traditionally made by men. She plans to open her own small kiosk in Istanbul’s Uskudar district, where she can serve Syrian breakfast and sell falafel (a recipe that, alas, is a closely guarded secret).