How two Syrians in Rome are using hummus to aid war refugees and help migrants integrate

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A pair of Syrians have created a community that provides support to migrants and vulnerable people in Rome, by sharing the flavors of a homeland torn by civil war

A pair of Syrians have created a community that provides support to migrants and vulnerable people in Rome, by sharing the flavors of a homeland torn by civil war.

Founded in 2018 as a “humanitarian catering service," HummusTown was originally aimed at raising funds for families and friends in Syria.

It has since grown into a successful small business that has shifted from sending remittances to helping new migrants integrate in Italy, all the while gaining a steady following on Rome’s gastronomic scene.

As the Syrian war continued to rage, Shaza Saker, a long-time U.N. employee living in Rome, and Joumana Farho, who was working as her cook, wanted to find a way to help people at home. Farho, 48, brought her «divine'' cooking, while Saker, 49, networked.

“I told her: ‘Let’s start inviting people over for dinner… and whatever we make out of these dinners we’ll just send to Syria,» Saker said. “My house had become a bit of, you know, a restaurant, a home restaurant. But it was fun. We felt useful.”

The non-profit that started with 45,000 euros ($48,670) raised through crowdfunding now employs 13 full-time and 10 part-time staff at its kitchen kiosk near Rome's train station and a small bistro, with plans to open a restaurant.

The expanded group now also organizes cooking classes, cultural events and summer aperitifs, as well as catering for events in the Italian capital.

Each month, they donate food to the homeless and last year they raised 40,000 euros for victims of the earthquakes that struck Syria on Feb. 6, 2023 with the loss of thousands of lives.

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