General
Five Months After First Language Lesson, 50-Year-Old Basel Runs Supermarket Full of Syrian Products
Basel, a 50-year-old entrepreneur from Daraa, Syria, opened his own supermarket in Rotterdam just five months after attending his first integration lesson. Supported by participation coach Thijn and the Stichting Nieuw Thuis Rotterdam program, Basel leverages previous import and export experience from Dubai and Sudan to manage his store, which stocks popular Syrian items like bulgur and tahini. Although he still finds speaking Dutch challenging, he manages daily operations with help from his wife Samia and promotes offers on TikTok. Basel plans to expand to Capelle aan den IJssel and Schiedam, aiming for a chain presence in every city within five years, while stating he no longer wishes to return to Syria due to the stability and success he has found in the Netherlands.
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