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.

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