Syrians Restore Mud Homes Near Qamishli as Cold and Rising Costs Bite

Residents of the countryside around Qamishli are reviving the practice of repairing mud homes before winter, as rising construction and fuel costs make protection from the cold more difficult to afford.

The return to these repairs reflects the pressures facing households seeking to maintain their homes without taking on the expense of new construction. With winter approaching, traditional building methods are again becoming a practical response to financial strain.

Yet the work is taking place as a once-familiar form of communal support recedes. Known as “fazaa,” the tradition brought people together to help with tasks such as restoring homes.

Changing living conditions and the migration of young people have weakened that collective effort. Residents are returning to a longstanding way of preparing for winter, but with less of the shared labour that once helped sustain it.