Hello everyone!
Firstly, I want to say that it's been 'wonderful' watching Syria heal over social media. I've seen many good signs: from the smiling and hospitable traffic police officers to schoolchildren crying over a difficult exam in their mothers' embrace. It seems that the country is in relative peace!
As a High School Economics student, I know that 'export demand' is a component of the total demand of a country's goods. I also know that more demand = more production = more earnings = higher standards of living. There's also the 'Multiplier effect', that one person's spending is another's earning, so the boost in demand/standard of living is boosted even more!
Hence, I hope that this post will be helpful to anyone looking to help Syria's recovery with their wallets by participating in 'Buy Syrian' - whether it be Assad socks, olive oil soap or Syrian football jerseys - in asking the following questions:
Q1. What is the status of the state-run Syrian Post now in Free Syria?
Q2. Which domestic mail carriers do you use? (e.g a small parcel from Deir Ez Zor to Damascus) Name and Facebook/Whatsapp links appreciated!
Q3. What shipping companies (DHL? FedEx?) do you use to ship small parcels (not just documents) overseas? Name and Facebook/Whatsapp links appreciated!
Q4. Facebook marketplace / Facebook groups with offline, cash-in-hand transactions are big in Syria and the wider Middle East. Is there a Syrian reshipper / 'buy for me' service provider? (where a local offers for a fee to meet up in person with the seller and pays in SYP to then ship the items abroad)
Q5. Are there couriers / freight forwarders that are willing to do a 'pick-up' at the seller's physical shop/meet-up spot, then ship overseas? (unlike Q4, it's the actual logistics company)
If you can may label your answers with Q1.. Q2.. and Q3.. that would be greatly appreciated!