BAZAARS exist throughout the year, but they become busier during the holy month of Ramadan when people make full use of a long Eid break and go out shopping in droves.
Women entrepreneurs in particular take the opportunity to set up stalls at Ramadan bazaars that are organized in women’s centers and for philanthropic societies where portions or all of the proceeds from sales go to charities.
There, women can buy clothes, home decoration items and, especially, abayas and thobes; Shopping for new threads in the last days of Ramadan is a time-honored tradition.
Jeddah’s Busat Al-Reeh (Magic Carpet) Festival is considered the most popular charitable event in the region where women gather annually to put on display what they have.
The annual event is organized by the National Home Health Care Foundation’s western regional branch to collect donations. This year it took place on Sept. 15-18 and was termed yet another successful charitable event. The four-day festival attracted over 5,600 visitors. Donations started to pour in since the first day.
Princess Sara Al-Angari donated SR500,000 and prince Faisal bin Abdul Majeed’s wife donated SR200,000 to the foundation. The festival is considered the foundation’s main income for the whole coming year.
Nahid Ahmed Ali from Jeddah, along with her partner Nada Redan from Beirut, participated in Busat Al-Reeh for the third time in a row. Working together from two different countries, Redan designs and makes the jewelry and accessories and Ahmed Ali sells it here.
“I believe it is a very successful bazaar with its huge crowd. Thankfully, our sales were also high and we are very pleased with the results,” said Ahmed Ali.
Layla Moussa, the owner of Layla Home and Yours, said that this is her first gallery for her new store.
“This is my fourth participation in the bazaar,” she said. “I used to participate with thobes and dresses in the past but this year I have clothes and home accessories.”
Noura Al-Hamrani has been a regular at Busat Al-Reeh Bazaar since its inception. “This is my tenth participation in the bazaar,” Al-Hamrani said. “I will open my home accessories and decorations store after Eid Al-Fitr. I bring my items from France, Italy and some stuff I design myself and have it made outside the Kingdom.”
Al-Hamrani thinks that although there are many visitors, sales were not as pleasant as in the past years because the bazaar began later this year.
A charity organization from Lebanon took part in the festival for the first time upon Princess Adela’s request.
“This is our first time and we found it very impressive and well-organized and thankfully the sales are great,” said Nawal Koukash, a member of the Child and Mother Welfare Society in Lebanon.
“We all came as volunteers for charity purposes especially for this bazaar. We are selling hand-made cushions and blankets,” said Koukash.