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.

As part of its efforts to raise community awareness and reduce risks threatening children’s lives, the Dan Foundation for Relief and Development conducted awareness sessions targeting students at the Hijin Educational Center in the Deir ez-Zor countryside. This comes amid challenges posed by drowning incidents in water bodies and floods, in addition to the dangers of landmines and explosive ordnance left over from wars, which continue to pose a direct threat to human security and community safety.

The sessions were delivered by the center’s teachers and focused on raising children’s awareness of the dangers of drowning in the Euphrates River, while introducing the safety procedures to be followed, especially during periods of high water levels and floods. The sessions also included educating children about the risks of landmines and suspicious or unfamiliar objects, emphasizing the importance of not approaching or tampering with them, and reporting them to the relevant authorities through safe channels, thereby contributing to reducing incidents and protecting lives.

A total of 218 male and female students benefited from these sessions, in a step that reflects the foundation’s commitment to reaching the broadest possible segment of children and enhancing their ability to cope with risks in their daily environment.

These activities come as part of the foundation’s efforts to instill a culture of safety and prevention among children, empowering them to acquire the knowledge and skills that help them recognize the risks around them and make informed decisions that contribute to protecting themselves and others.