Dan for Relief and Development Foundation (DRD) conducted a dedicated training for non-specialist community leaders, aimed at strengthening the capacity of local communities to prevent and respond to the risks of gender-based violence (GBV), while protecting the most vulnerable groups

The training was implemented as part of the “Women’s Empowerment in Raqqa and Hasakah” project, in partnership with Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA).

The training targeted 30 male and female participants from the city of Amuda and nearby villages in the Sanjak Saadoun sub-district in the Amuda countryside. Each group participated in a two-day training.

The training covered key forms of gender-based violence and their impacts, as well as skills for early identification of risks, effective communication and active listening, maintaining confidentiality and sensitivity when dealing with affected individuals, and understanding safe referral pathways to specialized service providers.

The training was delivered by certified facilitators who had undergone capacity-building and Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes, alongside joint coordination and supervision with community-based personnel. This approach strengthens the role of local capacities in responding to community needs and protecting community members.

Such trainings contribute to reducing the burdens and risk factors faced by the most vulnerable families, strengthening early identification and prevention, raising community awareness, and empowering community leaders to drive positive change and provide better support to their communities.

Dan for Relief and Development (DRD), in partnership with Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), has completed the distribution of barley to livestock farmers in villages affiliated with the Sanjak Saadoun Council, near the city of Amuda in northern rural Al-Hasakah, as part of the activities of the “Women’s Empowerment in Raqqa and Al-Hasakah” project

Based on defined eligibility criteria, the activity reached 75 women from 11 villages who own or manage small livestock herds. Each beneficiary received one ton of barley and 10 kilograms of feed supplements.

This support aims to improve livestock health and productivity, reduce animal husbandry costs, and strengthen livelihoods based on livestock rearing, contributing to increased household income and improved capacity to cope with economic pressures.

To further enhance the impact of this intervention, DRD also conducted a four-day specialized training for women livestock farmers. The training covered livestock nutrition management, methods for improving productivity, and approaches to reducing animal husbandry costs, strengthening participants’ knowledge and skills while supporting the sustainability of their income sources.

The “Women’s Empowerment in Raqqa and Al-Hasakah” project is implemented through an integrated approach combining food security, sustainable livelihoods, and protection, with the aim of strengthening the resilience of the most vulnerable women and girls, with a particular focus on survivors of violence, female-headed households, and displaced women.

In addition to supporting small-scale livestock farmers, the project includes economic empowerment pathways through vocational training and entrepreneurship support for 50 women in Raqqa, as well as conditional cash grants to establish income-generating businesses based on approved business plans. The project also supports the formation of women’s groups and provides training on disaster risk reduction and early warning systems to protect agricultural assets from climate-related shocks.

The project also includes protection activities, including community awareness, psychosocial support for women, and emergency cash assistance for critical cases, based on protection assessments that uphold privacy and confidentiality.

Through these interventions, Dan for Relief and Development seeks to strengthen food security and the stability of productive household assets among female-headed households, support sustainable economic empowerment pathways, and enhance women’s ability to gradually transition from reliance on humanitarian assistance toward productive livelihoods and improved income sources. The project also engages beneficiaries and local stakeholders in planning and follow-up, contributing to the sustainability of its outcomes.

As part of the “Women’s Empowerment in Al-Hasakah and Raqqa” project, Dan for Relief and Development (DRD) completed a specialised training for women livestock keepers in the Sanjak Saadoun sub-district council, in the rural area of Amuda, Al-Hasakah Governorate, in partnership with Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)

In rural Amuda, the training targeted 89 women livestock keepers from 11 villages within the Sanjak Saadoun sub-district. The four-day training aimed to strengthen participants’ knowledge and skills in livestock feed management, contributing to improved productivity, reduced livestock-raising costs, and enhanced livelihoods and household economic security.
The training covered a range of practical topics, including feed management and understanding different types of fodder, preparing balanced rations, and properly preserving and storing feed. It also highlighted the links between proper nutrition, animal health and productivity, and the economic viability of livestock farming.

This training is part of the project’s interventions to support women engaged in livestock production. Eligible beneficiaries will also receive barley feed rations and feed supplements, helping households preserve their productive assets and improve their returns.
The “Women’s Empowerment in Al-Hasakah and Raqqa” project follows a Nexus approach, integrating food security, sustainable livelihoods, and protection from gender-based violence to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable women and girls in rural Amuda, Al-Hasakah, and Raqqa City. The project focuses particularly on survivors of violence, women-headed households, and displaced women.

Areas of Work and Economic Empowerment
Food Security and Livelihoods:
The project supports women livestock keepers through the distribution of feed rations to eligible women in rural Amuda, alongside practical training on integrated feed management to improve productivity and reduce economic costs.

Other Economic Empowerment Pathways:
The project provides vocational and entrepreneurship training for 50 women in Raqqa, along with conditional cash grants to start income-generating businesses based on approved business plans. It also supports the formation of women’s groups and provides training on disaster risk reduction and early warning systems to protect agricultural assets from climate-related shocks.
Protection:
The project includes community awareness activities, a structured psychosocial support programme for women, and emergency cash assistance for critical cases, based on protection assessments that uphold privacy and confidentiality.

Through these interventions, Dan for Relief and Development aims to strengthen food security and the stability of productive household assets, particularly for women-headed households, support sustainable economic empowerment pathways, and help address protection gaps while promoting a safer and more inclusive community environment.

The project also places a strong emphasis on sustainability by strengthening community ownership and involving women beneficiaries in planning and decision-making. This supports a gradual transition from reliance on assistance towards self-reliance and production, while working with local authorities to ensure continued technical oversight of women’s groups and start-up businesses after the project ends.

As part of a women’s empowerment project in Raqqa and Al-Hasakah, funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), the Dan Foundation for Relief and Development conducted a training course on disaster risk reduction. The course took place at the foundation’s center for “Disaster Risk Reduction and Gender-Based Violence Activities” in the village of Sanjak Saadoun, rural Amuda, and lasted for three days

The training targeted two groups, each consisting of 8 female participants from the same village and surrounding areas. It focused on strengthening the capacities of emergency response teams for disaster risk reduction, led by women.

The course covered key topics, including: disaster risk management and local hazards, safety and security during emergencies, fire prevention and suppression, flood preparedness and response, first aid and emergency response, and community awareness and preparedness.

The training combined theoretical sessions with practical exercises, enabling participants to gain the knowledge and hands-on skills necessary for emergency response.

On the final day, essential disaster risk reduction toolkits were distributed to the participants to support their preparedness and enhance their ability to respond effectively within their communities. The materials provided to each participant included: a firefighting suit, thermal safety boots, thermal gloves, a helmet, a face shield, a 12 kg powder fire extinguisher, and a first aid kit.

This training course is part of the Dan Foundation for Relief and Development’s efforts to strengthen local communities’ ability to face disasters and reduce their impacts, by building women’s capacities and enabling them to play active roles in emergency response and protecting their communities. Such interventions contribute to enhancing community readiness and spreading a culture of prevention and preparedness, positively affecting individual safety and the sustainability of local development.

The foundation believes that investing in women’s capacities and equipping them with the necessary knowledge, skills, and tools is a fundamental pillar for building more resilient communities capable of facing challenges and crises, thereby strengthening women’s role as key partners in protecting society and supporting recovery and development pathways