My family in Malula. Their story is the reason Malula CIC exists.
My family in Malula. Their story is the reason Malula CIC exists.
My name is Manal Shalhoub, and although I live in Britain today, my heart has always remained in Malula.
Malula is more than my family's hometown. It is a place of extraordinary history, culture and resilience. For generations, families have preserved traditions, language and recipes that have become part of the identity of this remarkable mountain community.
Growing up, I watched my mother, my aunts and the women of Malula prepare natural dairy products, preserve seasonal foods and pass recipes from one generation to the next. These skills were never written down. They were shared through conversation, patience and love, becoming part of our family's story.
As the years passed, I realised something.
The knowledge had survived.
The traditions had survived.
But the opportunities had not.
Many of the women who possess these remarkable skills have limited opportunities to earn a sustainable income from the knowledge they have spent a lifetime perfecting.
That realisation became the beginning of Malula CIC.
Malula is one of the few places in the world where Western Aramaic, a language spoken for thousands of years, is still used in everyday life.
Its heritage is found not only in its ancient monasteries and dramatic mountain landscape, but also in the homes of the families who continue to preserve traditions that have been passed down through countless generations.
Food has always been part of that heritage.
Traditional dairy products, preserved foods and family recipes tell the story of a community that has protected its identity through centuries of change.
We believe these traditions deserve a future—not only as part of our history, but as a source of opportunity for the people who keep them alive.
The women of Malula do not need someone to teach them their craft.
They already possess the skills.
They know how to prepare traditional dairy products, preserve seasonal foods and produce recipes that have been handed down through generations.
What many need is the opportunity to transform those skills into sustainable employment.
Malula CIC exists to help create that opportunity by building partnerships, supporting local production and connecting traditional knowledge with new markets.
By creating meaningful employment, we hope to help families build a stronger future while preserving a unique cultural heritage for generations to come.
Malula CIC was established in the United Kingdom as a Community Interest Company because our purpose is to create lasting social impact.
Our role is to build partnerships, raise support and help create sustainable employment opportunities for women in Malula.
Production takes place in Syria through experienced local partners, who are paid fairly for their work. This creates employment, supports local families and helps ensure that traditional food-making skills continue to provide sustainable livelihoods within the community.
Our success is not measured by profit.
It is measured by opportunities created, families supported and heritage preserved.
This is only the beginning.
Our vision is to create sustainable employment, preserve traditional food-making skills and build a model that allows heritage to create opportunity for future generations.
Every partnership, every supporter and every purchase brings us one step closer to that vision.
Together, we can help ensure that the traditions of Malula continue to thrive—not only as memories of the past, but as opportunities for the future.
"We don't preserve traditions by remembering them. We preserve them by creating a future for the people who keep them alive."
— Manal Shalhoub