District 16 welcomed 70 participants this year at Jeddah’s Help Center. The event was open to women and children who gathered together to enjoy shopping and entertainment festivities. Founders Yasmina Qanzal and Nada Baeshen who also owns Newburry boutique, came up with the idea a few years ago. “It all started with my fashion boutique. I had lot of stock, which I wanted to get rid of in a yard sale. We all know that doesn’t happen in Jeddah so I called up my friends, we were a group of 16 girls, hence the name, and we rented out Fantasy Party to sell our things,” Baeshen told Saudi Gazette. She said the whole point is for Jeddah girls to have a place to come together and sell their stock. 

From 16, the bazaar has grown to 70 different participants. From home décor, food to fashion and retail, they even have a playground for children and catering businesses at the bazaar. 

“Then we decided we wanted to make it for something ‘khair’ (good) and help others. We keep changing locations but we stuck to Help Center for two years. This is our second year here. Even the weather is beautiful and its outdoors,” Baeshen said. The rent and proceeds go to Help Center. Over two thousand women and children visited the bazaar on the first two days. 

All participating vendors were Saudi women with different backgrounds. Some were either designers, stay-at-home-moms with their own businesses and the rest were student volunteers who wanted to help encourage the growing community. “It’s great to be here. My new collection of abayas is called Philippines, because it is named after the country that inspired it. We even help send proceeds back to an organization that helps people in the country I name the abayas after,” Safiah Alaquil, founder of Badawiah abayas told Saudi Gazette.

Some of the participants included Newbury Boutique, Nasiba Hafiz, Orange Blossom, Useless, Ris interior, Pink or blue, Cugini, 3640 shoes, Craze, Nihad bakreyba abayas, Brew 92, Health box, Pink camel, Kadabra, Banawiya, Basma abujadayil, Urban pallete, Zein cookies and Cookie bites among others.

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