Manual labor and handicrafts give us inner balance and a sense of trust and success in human relationships. This is why art must be for everyone.
In this context, on 14/08/2018, in collaboration with the UNFPA, SSSD organized at the Electricity Institute temporary shelter in the ‘Adra District, Rural Damascus, a session entitled Hand-Made.
The session, which was held within the Hear-My-Heart Program, included 16 women and aimed to break the routine and introduce the participants to a new skill of manual labor. The women interacted remarkably and engaged in the activities with passion. They also expressed their pleasure and a strong desire to do similar work in the future.

In order to encourage women to work, develop their abilities and invest their skills, Maskaneh satellite center, in cooperation between the Syrian Society for Social Development and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees held a gallery, which included the supply and sale of women-made products such as (food provisions, handicrafts- women and children sewing cloths - Drawings on cartoon - Drawing on canvas - Spices & vegetable oils).
The gallery was attended by 68 of the beneficiaries of the hear my heart program and women from the community The joy was the dominant feeling among the ladies, who expressed their desire to have this gallery again because they were so happy to be productive women. these are some of their sayings:
"I sold all my products, I was feeling depressed before, but now I am happy because I am helping my husband moneywise, how good it is to work and see the productive of your job."
"I feel I'm in a museum of all kinds, and it's all beautiful "
"I did not have money for my home, I'm so happy because all the things I offered were sold"
"I did know that trading is this good . I am so happy I sold all the bread this morning"
"I did not imagined that people would like my tailor this much, sold a large number of them and I'm so happy !"

A tiny word with a vast meaning, Eid combines joy and love, refreshes tolerance and the desire to visit relatives and reconnect with friends…
On this occasion, the SSSD various teams in Rural Damascus, in cooperation with the UNHCR, carried out six sessions entitled Celebrating Eid with you is still lovelier! between 19 and 26 June at the Beit al-Wiaam and Butterfly Effect CCs (Jaramana district), the Peace Center for Development (al-Hameh), the Farah CC (‘Adra) and Dar al-Karama for elderly care.
The sessions were attended by 391 beneficiaries from the Hear-My-Heart and Dhahab Ateeq programs. They included several art performances, competitions and games and were concluded by offering the traditional Eid sweets and a small present for each beneficiary.
Everyone participated in competitions and games with great joy and enthusiasm and certainly enjoyed the artistic performances. The fact that we celebrated together that happy occasion had a great impact on the hearts of the beneficiaries.

Evenings in Ramadan have a sweetness of their own and words have a special perfume. As we, in SSSD, believe that a perfumed word can unfold a smile in a soul, and based on SSSD’s basic role in psychosocial support, the SSSD team, in cooperation with UNHCR, organized gatherings on May 18 and 25 and June 1 under the title Ramadan Tales. In fact, these were part of the Hear-My-Heart psychosocial support sessions and took place at the temporary shelters in Adra.
The sessions included 676 male beneficiaries and simply aimed to bring pleasure to their hearts. To that effect, several recreational activities were proposed, the highlight of which was the very popular storyteller (hakawati) character, so famous in the Levant in days of old. The beneficiaries were fascinated by the storyteller’s exciting style and thrilled at the events of the story. The sessions also included other recreational activities, which were a source of great appreciation and sheer delight, explicitly expressed by the attendees.

In celebration of Mothers’ Day, and in appreciation of the role of mothers—a mother being the one who brings hope and makes us smile in life’s most difficult moments—, the SSSD team in Rural Damascus, in cooperation with UNHCR, held several recreational sessions on the occasion of Mothers’ Day within the Hear-My-Heart and Dhahab Atiq programs.
The sessions were attended by 243 women and men and were intended to bring joy and pleasure to their hearts and celebrate with them. The discussion touched upon the role of mothers in raising children on moral principles and was followed by various recreational activities, such as games, singing, buzuq and flute playing and poetry recitation by some men and children.
The beneficiaries greatly enjoyed the event, which encouraged them to revive family gatherings for celebration. Several wonderful talents were also discovered, in poetry, singing and music playing.

People who fled East Ghouta certainly suffer considerably at the temporary shelters from inadequate living conditions, with all the stress which that situation entails. Therefore, based on one of SSSD’s basic goals in providing psychosocial support, our team working at the Adra and Najha temporary shelters, in cooperation with UNHCR, conducted a collective (open) activity entitled Arab Councils.
The activity was inspired by the concept of the local “councils” (majalis) of old, which used to play a crucial role in strengthening social ties, resolving differences and handing over customs and traditions from one generation to the next. On 4, 11 and 18 May 2018, both at Adra and Najah, a number of open sessions were held, which comprised 1,051 beneficiaries. People enjoyed conversation, poetry recitation, singing and dabkeh dancing. The beneficiaries prepared Arabic coffee, which is a symbol of strong social ties and a “pledge” that would encourage them to support each other under the current circumstances. Of course, the fun element was at the rendezvous too; the sessions invariably ended with the traditional Shami Procession.
The turnout was great and the interaction was positive par excellence. Many people expressed their desire to hold similar meetings with the SSSD team after their return to their homes. They also expressed their wish that SSSD should be present in every region of East Ghouta, as they truly appreciated the good treatment and the humanitarian sense that characterize our team.