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.

As part of its efforts to promote recovery and community reintegration, the DAN Foundation for Relief and Development continues to implement activities under the RISE project (Reintegration and Support for Empowered Returnees) in the Al-Sabha area and its countryside in the eastern Deir ez-Zor countryside, using an integrated approach that combines psychosocial support with economic and vocational empowerment.

The project aims to support women returning from Al-Hol camp by providing a safe environment that helps them regain self-confidence, enhance their capabilities, and prepare them to engage more stably within their local communities. The project is built on the vision that psychological recovery forms an essential foundation for transitioning toward sustainable livelihood opportunities and achieving self-reliance.

As part of this pathway, the foundation implemented a vocational training program in hairdressing and skincare within the Women’s and Girls’ Safe Space (WGSS), targeting 20 women returnees from Al-Hol camp. The participants were selected after having taken part in organized psychoeducation sessions and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programs, ensuring integration between recovery needs and economic empowerment requirements.

The training lasted for a full month, from mid-June to mid-July, and focused on providing participants with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary to practice the profession competently. The program covered a range of training modules, including:

· Hair care skills, including cutting, coloring, highlights, color stripping, and styling techniques.
· Fundamentals of professional makeup and skincare applications.
· Salon management skills, customer service, and delivering services according to professional and business standards.

At the end of the training, each beneficiary received a comprehensive professional hairdressing kit, aimed at supporting their transition from training to practical application, and enabling them to start small projects that help improve their livelihoods and strengthen their economic independence.

This step is part of the DAN Foundation for Relief and Development’s vision of supporting women and girls through programs that combine protection, psychosocial support, and skills development, contributing to reducing vulnerability and strengthening the ability of individuals and families to build a more stable future.

The foundation emphasizes that investing in women’s empowerment is an investment in social cohesion and the community’s capacity for recovery, and that providing safe and sustainable opportunities for women is a cornerstone of reintegration and local development efforts.