JEDDAH: Azha Workshop is a true example of creativity. Founder Rawaa Bakhsh embarked on a journey to establish her company in 2014, in Canada, to make jewelry inspired by spirituality, culture, and the Arabic language.
“I am a third-generation jeweler. My grandfather and father both worked with precious metals and fine jewelry,” she said.
The process of creating individual trinkets and adornments is long but worth it in the end, Bakhsh added. “The process of (making) our jewelry is coming up with a concept, then going through variations of designs, then being molded, and then being plated with gold.”
What makes each product unique is the focus on the concept, the story behind each piece, the description of each piece and how it is interpreted by each customer.
Perhaps their most unique pieces are the religious ones and those with cultural significance.
One of the simpler designs is a pendant called “Safar” which is an origami camel. Customers have sent many pictures of themselves back to Azha Workshop holding the pendant in different parts of the world.
A popular bracelet is the “Shahada” string that has the Shahada written on it in beautiful calligraphy, and which comes in all sizes and colors. She also can turn verses from the Qur’an into wearable pieces of jewelry.
When asked about her inspiration, Bakhsh said: “I want to raise awareness, to maintain our spiritual values and beliefs, to make an impact, no matter how small.”
One day, she told Arab News, she would like her workshop to become the leading Muslim lifestyle accessories brand in the Middle East.
Startup of the Week: Azha Workshop is embracing national culture
Startup of the Week: Azha Workshop is embracing national culture
- A popular bracelet is the “Shahada” string that has the Shahada written on it in beautiful calligraphy, and which comes in all sizes and colors
KSrelief sets emergency camp for Gazans displaced by severe weather
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has set up a new emergency camp in the central Gaza Strip, providing shelter to hundreds of families forced from their homes in recent weeks.
More than 250 tents have been installed to meet immediate needs, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The camp was established after severe weather destroyed large numbers of temporary shelters across the area.
Aid workers say powerful storms and flooding have swept through central Gaza, flattening hundreds of tents and deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis.
Families who have taken shelter in the camp said the new tents have eased some of the immediate strain of displacement. After weeks of exposure to rain and cold, many said the shelters have offered basic protection and a degree of comfort as winter conditions continue.
The camp is part of broader Saudi led efforts to respond to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza.










