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Shant Khalalyan, a Syrian-Armenia who moved to Armenia in 2013, has started producing soaps, shampoos, and lotions free of chemical preservatives since 2014. He obtains raw materials in Armenia except the coconut oil. His products are sold at pharmacies. Shant had a permanent job in Syria while making soaps and shampoos was just a hobby of him.

“I moved to Armenia with my family. I rent an apartment and the workshop where I make the products. I have loans. What I do is trying to promote my products in the market. It was quite difficult in the beginning, now I have some progress,” Khalalyan told Panorama.am

Products by Shant Khalalyan were displayed at the Exhibition-Sale organized at Marriot Hotel in Yerevan.
As the Syrian-Armenian informed he had sent samples of his products to Russia, to a cosmetic firm. In case of a success, vows, “not to leave Armenia even a few centimeters”

Shant’s parents, now in Kessab will join their son in a month. His elder sister wishes to leave for Canada, the younger one still lives in Kessab.

“I lost all my friends in the war. The only one who survived is in Aleppo. He refuses to move to Armenia, says he should start afresh, since he does not speak in Armenian, the market is limited. Many problems exist and people do not want to take a risk,” Khalalyan says.

Verzhine Dungian, another Syrian-Armenian, who moved from Aleppo two months ago, showed her handmade works at the exhibition, which were based on the Armenian tradition of knitting. She also rents a house.

“I am not doing well here, as we lack amount. My son, his wife and my grandchild are working to cover the daily expenses. Nevertheless, we thank the God we are far from the war,” Mrs. Verzhine says.

She told their house in Aleppo was partly destroyed; the glasses were broken in the shelling, when a bomb was thrown next to their house, the walls and shelves were damaged. Her relatives still live in Aleppo out of different reasons.

“They will stay against their will, though they all certainly want to move,” she says.