Reporting by Ammar Johmani
Rachid al-Saied, a Syrian pharmacist, lost along with two of his brothers, two large hospitals in eastern Deir Ez Zor province after the regime forces destroyed them after the start of the revolution. He owned the largest share in the hospital, but losing them did not make him lose his ambition or give up.
After he sought asylum in Belgium, he established an economic project by opening a large super market in one of the most important areas of Antwerp on the street Gemementestraat 23 which is located close to a major train station. Al-Said’s story shows his efforts as a Syrian to rise from the ashes like a phoenix.
Al-Saied, 38, born in the town of al-Shahil, graduated from the University of Moldova in 2004 and opened a pharmacy in Deir Ez Zor. In 2010, he opened, with his brothers, the nine-storey al-Nour Hospital, and a similar hospital in al-Meyadin. In the two hospitals, they treated the wounded and injured from all segments of al-Jazeera’s society. After the outbreak of the revolutionary movement in 2011, the regime was not happy about the popularity of the hospitals and exacted its revenge against the owners.
Speaking to Ammar Johmani, al-Saied said that Major General Juma Juma, who was later killed, sent al-Saied and his brothers many threats to destroy the two hospitals and all those inside them. The Political Security forces arrested his brother, Dr. Nuri al-Said, the hospital director, in August 2011. Al-Nour Hospital was bombed soon after since it was an easy target for the regime forces given its height.
In 2013, after hiding for a period from the regime intelligence in the countryside of Deir Ez Zor, Al-Saied went to Turkey. After more than a year and a half, and after spending all his money, he managed to reach Belgium by the end of 2014 where he lived for two years on the welfare provided by the state.
Various factors including the welfare provided by the state being very low and insufficient to live a decent life, his inability to work as a pharmacist, and the difficulties he faced learning the language prompted al-Saied to consider opening a super market.
According to al-Saied, the idea for the super market came about because he did not want to sit around without work and Antwerp did not have a Syrian supermarket. Iraqis, North Africans and Turks run most of the supermarkets in the city, and there are only some small Syrian shops, so he wanted to make his mark in the city and serve his fellow Syrians at the same time.
He added that some of his doctor friends who worked in al-Nour and al-Meyadin hospitals offered him financial support to establish any project he had in mind. After due consideration, he saw that the best and easiest investment field is opening a supermarket for Syrians and Arabs in the city. He opened it with the help of his brother Dr. Nuri al-Saied, the Founder of the Friendship Forum in the Netherlands.
‘Sara Market’, is 500 meters, and includes several sections such as a butcher section, accounting, vegetables, detergents and others. Nine employees, five Moroccans, two Iraqis and two Syrians are working at the shop. Al-Saied tried to provide all the Syrian products used by Syrians which Syrians are not finding in other stores. He pointed out that he made special offers in the early days of the opening the shop and that the most important he is selling is the Syrian bread which is an essential item in the Syrian cuisine.
Not only Syrians frequent the store, as he explained that he chose to import bread from France to attract Belgian and foreigner customers.
According to al-Saied, the vast majority of the 15,000 refugees in Antwerp live on Belgian state aid and do not have jobs due to difficulties in learning the language and their lack of integration. Only a small proportion of them in addition to older migrants own businesses in the city.
Speaking about the project, he denied that he received support or funding from the Belgian state, but said that some government institutions emailed offering services or assistance if he needed it. They are trying to provide assistance to all projects, especially those set up by newly arrived refugees, he explained.
The municipality also offered its technical and information services and pledged to reduce the price on billboards and advertisements to half the usual price if paid regularly. He added that the municipal employees were very pleased that he is starting this project.
About his feelings on establishing a successful business in Europe after losing everything he owned in his homeland, he pointed out that all that he lost is worth nothing in comparison to the family members, relatives and loved ones whom he lost in the war. He added, “What was destroyed will be rebuilt God willing. It is not worth a fraction of what was destroyed in Syrians’ souls and their emotions.”
Al-Saied concluded the interview by expressing his sadness and dismay at his inability to see his parents, who were approaching their 70s and that they are not with him to see him rebuilding his life.
