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 efforts to promote economic empowerment and support self-reliance, the DAN Foundation for Relief and Development distributed vocational equipment to 40 female beneficiaries returning from Al-Hol Camp on July 23, 2026, at the Women’s and Girls’ Safe Space (WGSS) in the Al-Sabha area of rural Deir ez-Zor.

The equipment distribution came after the beneficiaries completed vocational training in sewing and cosmetology, aimed at helping them transform the skills they acquired into practical opportunities and sustainable sources of income, while enhancing their ability to become self-reliant and support the stability of their families.

The activity included 20 beneficiaries from the sewing training, with each receiving a sewing machine, in addition to 20 beneficiaries from the cosmetology (hairdressing) training, each of whom received a comprehensive set of essential equipment needed to practice the profession.

The cosmetology equipment kit included: a wooden hairdressing table with a mirror, a hairdryer, a hair straightener, a curling iron, hair scissors, combs, a barber apron, a hair coloring cap, hair dyeing tools, a water spray bottle, a makeup palette, towels, and two plastic chairs.

“An Integrated Path to Recovery and Integration”

This activity is part of the RISE project implemented by the DAN Foundation for Relief and Development to support women and children returning from Al-Hol Camp, and to enhance their integration into their communities through a comprehensive package of mental health and psychosocial support services, alongside protection and economic empowerment interventions.

“From Training to Economic Opportunity”

The distribution of vocational equipment to 40 beneficiaries in 2026 represents a continuation of the economic empowerment pathway within the project. The vocational training enabled participants to acquire practical skills in sewing and cosmetology, while the provision of equipment gave them the essential tools needed to begin practicing their professions and benefit from the skills they gained.

Through these interventions, the DAN Foundation for Relief and Development emphasizes the importance of transitioning from short-term aid provision to creating opportunities that help beneficiaries build their capacities and strengthen their self-reliance, thereby laying the foundations for recovery, integration, and long-term stability.