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.

Amid the challenges and pressures faced by children and local communities, Dan for Relief and Development Foundation (DRD) continues to implement psychosocial support (PSS) and community awareness activities aimed at promoting children’s mental well-being, helping them cope with stress, and supporting families and communities in creating safer and more protective environments for children

These activities are implemented as part of the project “Supporting Localization Efforts in Northeast Syria by Empowering Partners and Local Communities to Lead Community-Led, Survivor- and Community-Led Response (SCLR) and Community-Based Protection Programming (CBPP)”, implemented by DRD in Al-Raqqa and Al-Hasakah governorates from January to December 2026.

Psychosocial Support Sessions Tailored to Children’s Needs

In Al-Hasakah city, DRD is conducting specialized psychosocial support sessions in Al-Harah Al-Askariya neighbourhood, targeting children across three age groups to ensure that activities are adapted to their specific needs and developmental characteristics.

The targeted groups include children aged 6–8, 10–12, and 13–17 years, who participate in structured psychosocial support sessions delivered over the course of one month.

The activities include 10 sessions for children aged 6–8, 10 sessions for those aged 10–12, and 6 sessions for adolescents aged 13–17, reaching a total of 125 children.

These sessions provide a safe and supportive space where children can express their feelings, interact with their peers, and strengthen their ability to cope with the pressures and challenges that may affect their psychosocial well-being.

Raising Awareness Among Adults to Strengthen Child Protection

Alongside the child-focused psychosocial support sessions, DRD is conducting awareness-raising sessions targeting 300 adults, recognizing the critical role that families and communities play in protecting children and supporting their psychosocial well-being.

The awareness sessions address a range of child protection issues and promote safer family and community environments, including protection from discrimination and bullying, prevention of domestic violence, risks associated with early marriage, positive parenting, as well as other relevant awareness topics.

By combining direct psychosocial support for children with awareness-raising among adults, DRD seeks to promote an integrated, community-based approach that goes beyond addressing children’s immediate needs and contributes to strengthening the capacity of families and communities to provide care, protection, and support.

These activities highlight the importance of engaging local communities in child protection and psychosocial support efforts, strengthening children’s ability to overcome challenges and contributing to safer and more stable environments where they can grow and thrive.

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 Foundation (DRD) has begun distributing productive equipment to 50 women and girls in Raqqa City who successfully completed vocational training in tailoring and dressmaking, as well as pastry and confectionery production. The activity is part of the “Women’s Economic Empowerment in Raqqa and Al-Hasakah” project, implemented in partnership with Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)

The assistance included the distribution of 25 modern industrial sewing machines to participants trained in tailoring and dressmaking, in addition to 25 electric dough mixers and 25 gas-powered household ovens equipped with four burners for participants trained in pastry and confectionery production.

The equipment is intended to help beneficiaries transition from vocational training to launching their own productive activities, enabling them to apply the skills they have acquired and establish sustainable sources of income.

DRD previously concluded a three-month vocational training programme targeting 50 women and girls from the most vulnerable groups, including survivors of and women and girls at risk of gender-based violence (GBV).

During the training, participants acquired practical and vocational skills in tailoring and dressmaking, as well as pastry and confectionery preparation, using approaches aligned with local market needs. This contributes to enhancing their employment and income-generating opportunities and strengthening their ability to establish small businesses.

The programme went beyond technical training, with participants also receiving specialized sessions on business development skills to strengthen their capacity to launch, manage, and sustain small businesses. The sessions covered key topics including budgeting, business planning and management, and marketing.

The programme is part of DRD’s broader efforts to promote women’s economic empowerment and equip women with practical, market-relevant vocational skills, helping them access employment or establish small businesses while strengthening their financial independence and ability to improve their livelihoods within a safe and women- and girl-responsive environment.

DRD continues to implement vocational training and livelihoods programmes that respond to the needs of the most vulnerable groups, with a focus on linking acquired skills to employment opportunities and market demands, contributing to economic recovery and more sustainable livelihoods.

Dan for Relief and Development (DRD) implemented a community health initiative entitled “Pulse of Life” in Jazrat Al-Milaj, rural Deir ez-Zor, from 10 to 15 August 2026. The initiative included the distribution of 30 blood glucose meters and their supplies to the most vulnerable cases, alongside free blood glucose testing, health awareness activities, and training on the proper use of the devices

The initiative was launched in response to the challenges faced by the poorest households in accessing essential healthcare services, particularly regular blood glucose testing for people living with diabetes. These challenges are compounded by the high cost of medical tests and the distance some families have to travel to reach laboratories, creating additional financial and health burdens, particularly for older people and patients.

As part of the initiative, 50 free blood glucose tests were conducted to support the early identification of cases requiring follow-up and to determine which beneficiaries were most in need of home glucose monitoring devices.

In response to the health needs of the targeted households, 30 blood glucose meters, along with all necessary supplies, were distributed. In addition, 100 testing strips were provided. Practical training sessions were also conducted for beneficiaries on how to operate the devices, read and record results, maintain the equipment safely, and use it correctly.

The initiative also included health awareness sessions addressing the symptoms of diabetes, prevention methods, the importance of healthy nutrition and physical activity, and the regular monitoring of blood glucose levels. These activities contributed to strengthening beneficiaries’ ability to manage the condition and reduce the risks of related complications.

The initiative was implemented with the participation of volunteers and health personnel, as well as members of the Health Committee and Peace Committee, who contributed to planning, coordination, field supervision, and the organization of sessions and activities. Their involvement further strengthened the role of community committees in responding to local needs.

The initiative helped reduce part of the direct financial burden on targeted households and strengthened their ability to monitor their health conditions, while also increasing awareness of the importance of prevention and early detection of chronic diseases.

The “Pulse of Life” initiative is part of broader efforts to support the most vulnerable groups, improve access to essential healthcare services, and promote a culture of prevention, community cooperation, and locally led responses to health needs in the region.

Dan for Relief and Development Foundation continues to implement the “Be There” program sessions in the Foundation’s safe space at Washokani Camp, west of Al-Hasakah. As of mid-August, the sessions have reached 205 participants, including 43 men and 162 women

The program focuses on helping caregivers cope with daily stress, particularly amid challenging circumstances that may affect their ability to provide effective care and parenting to children.
The program aims to achieve several key objectives, including:
Reducing daily stress through relaxation and stress-management techniques, such as mindfulness and breathing exercises.
Strengthening social support networks and supportive relationships.
Improving the ability to cope with difficult emotions, including frustration and anger.
Reducing parenting-related stress and promoting the use of positive parenting approaches.
Reducing the use of harsh parenting practices and fostering a safer and more supportive family environment for children.

The program aims to support parents and caregivers of children by helping them reduce stress, improve their psychosocial well-being, and strengthen their positive parenting skills.
Through the “Be There” program, we work to promote family well-being and support caregivers in building more positive and safe relationships with their children.

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 efforts to strengthen community awareness of the dangers posed by explosive remnants of war (ERW), and through coordination between the Education Sector, the Child Protection Sector, and the Mine Action Sector in Deir ez-Zor, under the supervision of UNICEF, a representative from Dan for Relief and Development (DRD) participated in a specialized five-day training on Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE).

The training aimed to strengthen participants’ capacities in raising awareness about the risks of unexploded ordnance and landmines, while equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver life-saving risk education messages to local communities, helping reduce accidents and injuries caused by explosive remnants of war.

Building on the knowledge and skills gained during the training, DRD conducted two EORE awareness sessions at its Learning Center in Hajin, eastern rural Deir ez-Zor, targeting both children and adults. The sessions introduced participants to different types of explosive remnants, landmines and their characteristics, while highlighting the safe behaviors to follow when encountering suspicious objects, thereby promoting a culture of safety and prevention within the community.

DRD also received two EORE training kits to support future awareness activities and expand outreach to communities most at risk.

The Importance of Explosive Ordnance Risk Education

Years of conflict in Syria have left behind a dangerous legacy of explosive remnants of war (ERW), which remain scattered across many areas. Their impact did not end with the conflict; they continue to pose a direct threat to civilians and hinder recovery and stabilization efforts.

Syria is considered one of the countries most heavily contaminated by explosive remnants of war. Estimates indicate that more than 324,000 items of unexploded ordnance remain across the country. These hazardous remnants have caused the deaths and injuries of thousands of civilians, as well as permanent disabilities and limb amputations, creating significant humanitarian, economic, and psychological challenges for individuals, families, and communities.

DRD reaffirms its commitment to continuing community-based awareness activities in partnership with relevant stakeholders to strengthen the protection of children and families, reduce the risks posed by explosive remnants of war, and contribute to building safer and more resilient communities.

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 its efforts to promote public health and prevent diseases, the Dan Foundation for Relief and Development carried out the “Step Towards a Healthy Community” initiative in Al-Jazra Camp in the Deir ez-Zor countryside, through its Health and Community Safety Committees, with the participation of the health team from the Dan Center in the Al-Jazrat area

The initiative came in response to the importance of raising health and environmental awareness in reducing the spread of waterborne diseases, foremost among them cholera, thereby contributing to protecting the most vulnerable groups and enhancing the community’s capacity to adopt preventive practices.

The initiative, which lasted a full week, targeted the residents and families of Al-Jazra Camp, with a focus on children, women, and the elderly. Activities included distributing awareness brochures, conducting five educational sessions covering cholera symptoms, transmission methods, and preventive measures to be followed, along with 30 home visits to reinforce health messages and answer families’ inquiries.

The initiative also focused on encouraging families to apply proper health practices, including regular disinfection of water tanks and maintaining personal and household hygiene, to reduce the risks of disease transmission.

As part of the initiative’s activities, an interactive program for children was implemented to instill personal hygiene habits, alongside a community environmental cleanup campaign in which a number of camp residents participated, aimed at fostering shared responsibility for maintaining a healthy and safe environment.

This initiative reflects the foundation’s commitment to supporting local communities by enhancing health awareness, embedding a culture of prevention, and empowering individuals to adopt practices that contribute to protecting their own health and that of their communities.

Dan continues to implement its humanitarian and development programs aimed at building more aware communities capable of facing health and environmental challenges, based on its belief that prevention and knowledge are the foundation for achieving sustainable development and improving quality of life.