As part of its Cash-for-Work activities, Dan for Relief and Development Foundation has started providing temporary employment opportunities for 20 skilled workers from Jazrat Al-Milaj village in the Al-Kasrat area of rural Deir ez-Zor. The workers are contributing to the rehabilitation of the village’s agricultural extension unit, in coordination with the Agricultural Extension Unit in Jazrat Al-Milaj, as part of the Resilience and Social Cohesion Project implemented by the Foundation in the area

The rehabilitation works include painting the external facades and interior walls, installing wooden doors and metal protective grills for the doors, as well as carrying out the necessary plumbing, electrical, and maintenance works for the building.

The rehabilitation works started this week and are expected to continue for 20 days. The activity aims to improve the condition of the extension unit and prepare it to provide better services to farmers and the local community.

The activity combines the rehabilitation of a community service facility with the provision of temporary employment opportunities for skilled workers, supporting livelihoods and strengthening the participation of local community members in improving public services and facilities.

As part of the “Supporting Localization Efforts in Northeast Syria” project implemented by Dan for Relief and Development Foundation (DRD), and within efforts to support community-led initiatives and strengthen residents’ role in improving their local environment, the Peace Bridges Committee in Al-Thawra neighborhood, Raqqa, implemented an initiative to rehabilitate Al-Adab Park

The initiative aimed to restore the park as a safe and suitable public space for children and community members, after it had turned into a waste dumping site over the previous months.

The initiative included a range of rehabilitation and improvement activities, including repairing and painting the park’s fence, rehabilitating and installing children’s playground equipment, pouring the median, and installing gates for the park. It also included repairing waste containers, cleaning the park, and planting trees.

The activities also included extending a water line and creating murals carrying messages about cooperation and collective action, encouraging community members to contribute to maintaining the park’s cleanliness and caring for public spaces.

The initiative aims to provide a safe and child-friendly space for children and residents of the neighborhood, while strengthening local community participation in addressing the challenges they face. This contributes to improving the overall environment and fostering a spirit of cooperation and shared responsibility.

These activities are implemented under the “Supporting Localization Efforts in Northeast Syria through Empowering Partners and Local Communities to Lead Survivor- and Community-Led Response (SCLR) and Community-Based Protection Programming (CBPP)” project, implemented by Dan for Relief and Development Foundation (DRD) in Raqqa and Hasakah Governorates from January to December 2026.

As part of its efforts to support education, strengthen community resilience, and support essential facilities, Dan for Relief and Development Foundation implemented two solar energy installation initiatives at Milaj West School and the mosque in Jazrat Milaj village from 28 to 30 September 2026

The two initiatives aimed to provide sustainable energy sources that help ensure the continuity of essential services and improve the educational and community environment amid frequent power outages.
At Milaj West School, the “Light of Knowledge” initiative provided a sustainable source of energy to support the continuity of the educational process and improve the classroom environment for students and teachers.

At the village mosque, the “Mosque Lantern” initiative aimed to ensure continuous lighting, operate sound and ventilation systems, and provide a suitable environment for worshippers and children participating in Quranic circles, while also supporting awareness-raising and community activities.
Both initiatives included the installation of solar energy systems consisting of:
6 solar panels, each with a capacity of 620 watts.
A 4,200-watt inverter.

A lithium battery for energy storage and ensuring continuity of operation.
Electrical breakers, cables, and necessary connection and protection equipment.
Inspection and trial operation to ensure the systems’ readiness and efficiency.

The “Mosque Lantern” initiative also included awareness sessions and volunteer campaigns highlighting the importance of maintaining the solar energy system and mosque facilities. These activities involved youth committees, the Women’s Committee, and village residents, strengthening community responsibility and contributing to the sustainability of the project.
From the school to the mosque, Dan believes that investing in clean energy is about more than providing electricity. It contributes to supporting education, improving community services, strengthening social cohesion, and promoting a culture of responsibility and volunteerism—helping communities build more sustainable solutions

In Al-Aliyat village, in the Al-Karama area of eastern rural Raqqa, participants in the peacebuilding activity under the Rawabet Project, implemented by Dan for Relief and Development Foundation (DRD) in partnership with World Vision, joined community members in a voluntary initiative to clean Al-Aliyat School and prepare it to welcome students at the beginning of the new school year

The initiative created a space for joint action between adolescents and their parents from Al-Baydar village and the residents of Al-Aliyat village. Both communities took part in cleaning the school and its surrounding areas, driven by a shared goal of creating a cleaner and more suitable learning environment for children, while also promoting values of cooperation, participation, and community responsibility.

The initiative was particularly meaningful because the adolescents participating in the peacebuilding activity come from Al-Baydar village, while the targeted school is located in Al-Aliyat village. This provided the group with an opportunity to travel to a neighbouring village and work alongside its residents on an activity that benefits children and the wider community. The participation of Al-Aliyat residents together with their children also demonstrated the positive influence of the adolescents who had participated in the peacebuilding sessions and the extent to which their engagement encouraged their families to become involved.

From Training to Field Action

The initiative forms part of the project’s peacebuilding activity, which aims to strengthen children’s and adolescents’ capacity to participate positively in their communities and develop skills in dialogue, cooperation, and teamwork, while translating these skills and knowledge into practical community initiatives.

As part of this process, 103 adolescents—50 boys and 53 girls—participated in 24 training sessions based on the “Path of Peace” curriculum. In June, two Peace Clubs were established, each consisting of 20 adolescents, with members meeting twice a month.

As the activity moved from the training stage to practical application, participants began implementing voluntary initiatives in cooperation with local communities. The initial activities included cleaning a mosque and cleaning a school.

The Al-Aliyat School clean-up initiative represents a continuation of this process, providing participants with an opportunity to put into practice what they had learned about cooperation, initiative, and teamwork through a practical activity carried out together with members of the targeted community.

A School as a Space for Cooperation

The initiative was not limited to cleaning the school and preparing it for the new academic year. It also provided an opportunity for participants and residents of Al-Aliyat to connect and work side by side.

Through initiatives of this kind, volunteering becomes a space where community members come together around a shared need. In this case, the practical goal of preparing the school for children became an entry point for strengthening relationships, cooperation, and positive interaction between local communities.

The initiative reflects one of the key objectives of the peacebuilding activity: providing children and adolescents with opportunities to actively participate in their communities—not simply as recipients of training, but as individuals who can identify community needs and contribute to addressing them in cooperation with local residents.

Expanding Community Initiatives

As part of efforts to expand community participation, four community initiatives were selected under the peacebuilding activity: “Bridges of Love,” “Our Safe and Green Spaces,” “Our Mosques Bring Us Together,” and “Our Roads Are Safe.”

Work is currently underway to implement the “Our Safe and Green Spaces” and “Bridges of Love” initiatives.

The “Our Safe and Green Spaces” initiative aims to rehabilitate a public park in the Aqraba area of Al-Karama, transforming it into a safe space and recreational area for children from the area and neighbouring villages, providing a suitable place for play, gathering, and community use.

The “Bridges of Love” initiative involves rehabilitating a deteriorated bridge connecting Al-Baydar and Al-Aliyat villages. The initiative aims to facilitate safer access for students to their school while strengthening connections and interaction between residents of the two villages.

Peacebuilding Starts with Participation

The Al-Aliyat School clean-up initiative demonstrates how the knowledge and skills that children and adolescents gain through peacebuilding sessions can be transformed into practical initiatives with a direct impact on their communities.

The initiative was more than a voluntary effort to improve the appearance of a school. It brought peacebuilding participants together with residents of the targeted village around a shared responsibility for children and education, while creating an opportunity for cooperation and collective action between members of local communities.

Through initiatives of this kind, the Rawabet Project seeks to strengthen the role of children and adolescents within their communities and support their ability to participate, engage in dialogue, and cooperate with others. In doing so, the project contributes to building stronger community connections and demonstrates how small, locally led initiatives can become practical steps towards peace.

As part of monitoring the implementation of the NAF Project activities, implemented by DAN Foundation for Relief and Development in partnership with World Vision International (WVI) in Al-Karama, eastern rural Raqqa, WVI Program Director Lauren Marriott conducted a field visit to assess progress achieved during the project’s second year of implementation

The second year focuses on the recovery phase, following the completion of the first year, which focused on humanitarian response and relief, and paving the way for the transition to the empowerment phase in the project’s third year.

The visit began with a follow-up on Saving for Transformation (S4T) sessions. Lauren observed the mechanisms through which savings groups operate, members’ adherence to the methodology, and the progress of savings and internal lending activities. She also held direct discussions with beneficiaries about key achievements, positive changes in their economic and social conditions, as well as challenges affecting the sustainability of the groups. Discussions also explored ways to strengthen their effectiveness and further develop the groups to ensure that their impact continues beyond the project’s completion.

The visit also included peacebuilding activities, where she met with members of the Girls’ Peace Club and observed sessions focused on identifying and designing youth-led community initiatives. The discussions highlighted the role of these initiatives in strengthening social cohesion, promoting a culture of dialogue, and encouraging meaningful youth participation in community life, recognizing young people as key partners in supporting peace and building more cohesive communities.

As part of the project’s livelihoods component, the Program Director visited productive businesses supported through the project, including sheep-rearing and cheese and dairy production initiatives, as well as vocational training and technical guidance activities provided to beneficiaries.

She also met with project owners to discuss implementation progress, opportunities to improve technical and managerial performance, ways to increase productivity and profitability, and measures to strengthen the businesses’ resilience to economic challenges. The discussions also explored future options to ensure the sustainability of these businesses and expand their developmental impact.

Dan for Relief and Development (DRD) has officially launched the activities of the Survivor and Community-Led Response (SCLR) groups in the Military Neighborhood of Al-Hasakah City as part of the project, “Supporting Localization Efforts in Northeast Syria through Empowering Partners and Local Communities to Lead Survivor and Community-Led Response (SCLR) and Community-Based Protection Programming (CBPP).” The project is being implemented from January to December 2026.
The launch of the community group in the Military Neighborhood marks the beginning of the project’s field implementation. The project aims to strengthen the protective environment, improve safety, and enhance the resilience of conflict-affected communities by empowering local communities to lead response efforts, improve community-based interventions, and increase access to specialized protection services.

“Communities Lead the Response and Create the Solutions”
The project is based on the Survivor and Community-Led Response (SCLR) approach, which places local communities at the center of humanitarian action and enables community members to take the lead in identifying their needs, analyzing priorities, and designing initiatives that directly address those needs. This approach promotes meaningful community participation while fostering sustainable, locally driven solutions.
This activity represents the project’s core component, targeting seven community groups—three in Al-Hasakah Governorate and four in Ar-Raqqa Governorate—with a total of 84 women and men representing diverse community groups, including women, men, internally displaced persons (IDPs), host community members, and persons with disabilities, ensuring inclusive participation in community leadership and decision-making.

“Building the Capacity of Community Groups to Lead Local Initiatives“
Group members are participating in a comprehensive capacity-building programme covering the SCLR/GCT methodology, including risk and capacity analysis, community mapping, problem analysis, and community action planning.
The programme also includes specialized protection training on protection mainstreaming, safe referral pathways, child protection and safeguarding, and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA).
In addition, participants receive training in key management skills, including resource management, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation, and community mobilization and advocacy, enabling them to effectively design, implement, and sustain community-led initiatives.

“From Identifying Needs to Implementing Community Initiatives“
Following the completion of the training programme, the groups will move into the implementation phase. Using participatory SCLR tools, they will assess the realities of their communities, identify priority needs, design community-led initiatives, manage available resources, implement activities, and monitor results directly.
This approach ensures that initiatives are genuinely community-driven and responsive to locally identified priorities, strengthening community ownership, promoting a culture of participation, and enhancing resilience in the face of ongoing challenges.

“Integrated Protection Programmes to Maximize Impact”
Alongside the Survivor and Community-Led Response activities, the project will implement a range of community-based protection programmes aimed at improving the well-being of children and families in Al-Hasakah and Ar-Raqqa Governorates.
The project will provide structured psychosocial support (PSS) services for 250 children through specialized curricula that focus on developing life and social skills, strengthening mental well-being, and helping children cope with the effects of crises.
In addition, 600 children and caregivers will participate in community awareness sessions designed to increase knowledge of child protection, positive parenting, psychosocial support, and risk mitigation, contributing to a safer and more supportive environment for children.
The project also includes case management and safe referral services targeting children and their caregivers to ensure access to appropriate protection support.

“Towards More Resilient Communities”
This project reflects Dan for Relief and Development’s vision of placing local communities at the heart of humanitarian response and sustainable development by empowering them to identify their priorities and lead initiatives that address their own needs.
With the launch of the first community group in the Military Neighborhood of Al-Hasakah City, the project takes its first practical step toward strengthening social cohesion, supporting localization efforts, and building more resilient communities capable of overcoming challenges and shaping their future through their own capacities and local resources.

As part of the efforts of Dan Relief and Development to support mental health and enhance psychological well-being, the MHPSS project team implemented a special initiative for Mental Health Week during the month of May, targeting women working in agriculture in the villages of Al-Sabha and Al-Jadeed in the central countryside of Deir ez-Zor

The initiative involved the participation of 60 women through interactive activities that included psychological release exercises and the promotion of positive emotions, in addition to distributing awareness brochures on the importance of mental health and ways of self-care, along with symbolic initiatives to spread hope and positive energy, such as distributing flowers.

This initiative reaffirms the importance of reaching women across various work environments and supporting their mental and social health, given its positive impact on both the individual and society.

As part of its ongoing efforts to promote social cohesion and peacebuilding, the DAN for Relief & Development (DRD) implemented an initiative to establish the Jarat Al-Milaj football field in rural Deir ez-Zor. This was carried out by the Community Protection team, with active participation from the Women’s and Youth Committees.

The initiative included field rehabilitation and preparation works. The team leveled and marked the field, provided goalposts, nets, footballs, sports kits, in addition to the trophy and medals for the sports tournament.

As a culmination of the initiative, the “Love Sports Tournament” was held at the Al-Seela field in the village of Jarat Al-Milaj. The event took place in a spirited atmosphere with notable public attendance, featuring eight sports teams from neighboring villages, divided into two groups.

Group one included: Inter Al-Milaj, Al-Kabir, Abu Khashab, and Al-Risalah (Bu Humed).
Group two included: Ahli Al-Milaj, Al-Ittihad (Ma’adan), Ahmar Bu Humed, and Al-Bushams.

The tournament witnessed strong competitions characterized by sportsmanship and significant audience engagement. The final match was contested between Inter Al-Milaj and Al-Kabir in a cautious and competitive game, attended by over 3,000 spectators from the area.

The regular time ended in a goalless draw, and the result was decided by penalty shootouts, with Al-Kabir winning 3–2 to become the champion of the “Love Sports Tournament,” celebrated joyfully by their fans and supporters.

This initiative reaffirmed the positive role of sports in promoting a culture of peace and building bridges of love and brotherhood among community components. It also contributed to creating a safe, inclusive space for youth and families. Today, the Jarat Al-Milaj field has become a place for community gathering and cohesion, and a symbol of hope and cooperation among

The closing session of the project “Together for Civil Peace and Social Cohesion”, organized by the

Defa’a Human Rights Initiative, was held last Saturday morning in the capital Damascus. This session represented the culmination of a series of national dialogues that spanned seven Syrian cities and regions, aiming to formulate final recommendations and an executive roadmap to strengthen justice and stability

The session brought together a large number of activists, experts, media professionals, and human rights advocates who had participated in the previous rounds, with the purpose of analyzing and evaluating the shared outcomes reached from Qamishli to Aleppo and Daraa

Themes of the Closing Session
Discussions in the closing session focused on three main themes, seeking to transform the collected visions into concrete mechanisms of action

The role of civil society in promoting civil peace and social cohesion

Transitional justice: mechanisms of implementation and guarantees

The role of official and non-official media in producing a responsible national discourse

The session opened with a discussion of the first theme, “The role of civil society in civil peace and social cohesion.” Participants emphasized that the social bonds and bridges formed through these dialogues across different regions were evidence of the immense potential of Syrian civil society.

The session then continued with the subsequent themes, with particular focus on how to implement the recommendations on transitional justice emphasized by all provinces, and on defining the responsibility of the media in safeguarding civil peace and delivering professional and transparent discourse instead of misleading or inciting narratives.