“When young children died, they were working in the land. We didn’t understand why and how. They told us they died because of a strange object they found on the ground. When you came here, however, and we saw what are the objects that could harm us and our parents, we believe we must get cautious, pay more attention to protect ourselves.”

This is what an adolescent boy said during the campaign conducted by the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD), in cooperation

with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), under the title Mine and ERW Awareness, conducted at the Nabd Community Center, Behm Camps, Sweida.

Throughout the session, types, hazards, and disastrous effects of ERW/UXO have been duly explained, as well as how to protect children from them: being aware of warning signs, safe conduct, emergency situations – in addition to emphasizing reporting to the toll-free number (108) designated by the Ministry of Interior for that purpose.

SSSD facilitators also insisted on the necessity of delivering and instilling awareness messages, thus raising the level of ERW awareness, in order to protect our children and ensure a healthy, safe and injury-free society.

At the end of the session, one of the children said: “I thought it was merely a strange toy I could play and have fun with. I didn’t know it could cause my death!”

Because child labor is considered a violation of childhood and a heavy burden that exceed the child’s size and capability, causing risks that endanger their lives and future and deprive them of their rights.

 And based on monitoring many children exposed to labor and due to their lack of knowledge and their parents’ of its negative effects, SSSD Team implemented a campaign entitled “Small Size, Huge Burden”, on the occasion of the World Day Against Child Labor within CP program in all CCs and related AoRs in Homs, Hama, and Idlib governorates.

The campaign targeted children, adolescents from both genders, parents, caregivers and employers. It included awareness raising sessions implemented in coordination with PSS, GBV, educational support, legal support in cooperation with SARC and the Syrian Trust, and the health points.

 in addition to series of recreational activities that included sport matches and competitions organized by the adolescents of child protection clubs. In addition to activities to integrate working children with their peers, to enforce their right to play and to emphasis the importance of developing their talents and skills.

The team cooperated and came to an agreement with the employers to find suitable time for children to attend the activities continually.

The CP clubs adolescents also visited the working children in their work places to offer them and their employers’ awareness raising messages, tools of protection, and souvenirs. In addition, they conducted meetings with children, employers and caregivers as a survey of their opinions about child labor.

The team also participated in preparing a media awareness campaign through radio and telecommunication networks and painting murals in several areas in the governorates to convey awareness raising messages about child labor to the largest segment of beneficiaries and to alleviate child labor and its effects.

In the presence of the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, and the Director of Social Affairs and Labor in Rural Damascus, and in cooperation with TearFund, the Syrian Society for Social Development team, in collaboration with the management of the Khaled bin Al-Walid Center for Juvenile Deliquents, implemented an event entitled "Small Steps" on the occasion of the World Children's Day.

The llatter aimed to introduce adolescents to the rights of the child, and to reinforce the importance of advocating for these rights in an atmosphere of joy.

Furthermore, one of the adolescent boys expressed: “I haven’t felt this kind of joy for a very long time… I feel like I can express myself and talent in front of the audience with high self-confidence!”

In light of the current economic conditions and the prevalence of child labor, a team from the Syrian Society for Social Development with the support of UNHCR, visited and followed up some of the displaced families in Harrison and Al-Hami area.

the Child Protection Team at Beit Al Yasmin Community Center, within the activities of the International Child Labor Day, followed up individual cases of children who drop out of schools and working children.

 In addition to awareness sessions for parents and children about the danger of child labor and how to protect them during work, choose jobs that do not constitute a danger to them or deprive them of their rights.

 And educate them about maintaining hygienic conditions, washing hands and not integrate with each other during work regarding the spread of the Coruna virus

Out of the belief that art is an international language every human being can speak, taste, and enjoy, the Syrian Society for Social Development, in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees organized an exhibition "Made with Care and Love" in the Gallery of Fine Arts, Aleppo.

The exhibition showed the paintings and pieces of handicrafts made by beneficiaries as part of the summer club activity-series, with the hope of encouraging them to grow their artistic skills. The team responsible for child protection program selected the best pieces to be displayed in the exhibition. A large number of beneficiaries from all the centers throughout Aleppo City and Rural Aleppo showed their pieces of art in the exhibition and around 1100 people attended the exhibition (men, women, children, and adolescents).

Many beneficiaries were happy to share their feelings with us:
"A dream is one step away!"
"I am in the process of realizing my dream."
"Nothing is more beautiful than art."
"When you nurture and support a kid, he/she makes beautiful things."

The children parents also expressed their sense of pride for seeing their kids' pieces of art displayed in the exhibition.