Drawing on the saying, prevention is better than cure, and in response to the national preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19, the Syrian Society for Social Development conducted a disinfection and awareness raising campaign for two days in Bab Al-Hadid, Aleppo.

The Gender-Based Violence team attached to Arabesque Community Center led the campaign in cooperation with Al Mukhtar and a committee formed by the inhabitants, disinfecting places of social gatherings, including Qadi Askar Neighborhood, Al Zura Bakery Oven, Al Mukhtar office and adjacent commercial shops, Aghur and Bayyadah blocks, Almaji Neighborhood, and the Syrian Trade Corporation Hall in Jeb Quba.

Further, some women attached to SSSD’s women committees reached out to 27 individuals distributing soaps and awareness raising brochures about prevention and protection measures against COVID-19.

Here are some comments made by the inhabitants:
• “We really appreciate your concern about our safety and protection. We feel more responsible, after the disinfection works you conducted.”
• “I used to hear that COVID-19 is a pandemic; however, I did not know the ramifications of social gatherings. We should all spread awareness to protect the largest possible number of people.”
• “Even though this force majeure had its toll on every one, it did not stop you from being kind. The soap you distributed came right on time to protect us against this deadly virus.”

In response to limiting the spread of Coronavirus (Covid-19) protectingeverybody, ensuring their safety and countering this virus, the Syrian Society for Social Development distributed health kits to groups of women and Old-But-Gold "Dahab Ateq" in Sada community center (Aqrab) and Qamana center (northern Hama countryside) Within the gender-based violence program.

Aimedstrengthening preventive measures and spreading health awareness among women, the kits included sterilization and personal hygiene materials and educational brochures on how to use sterile materials to counter the threat of the virus.

sterilized the centers and trained the volunteers to take the necessary measures during the distribution process to preserve their safety and the beneficiaries as well. As the volunteers conducted a temperature measure for themselves, and avoided gatherings out of our concern for their safety, the distribution was in the Qamhana Center in the presence of the Director of Social Affairs and Labor in Hama Governorate.

Some of the beneficiaries shared us by saying:
"The health kit was on time, because it is difficult to secure it as some materials are not available."
"Antiseptics and sterilizers are essential in every home, and they will protect us."
"We were alerted to not underestimating the rise in our body temperature, and it is necessary to periodically check on our health."

With the aim of strengthening preventive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, the team of the Syrian Association for Social Development, in cooperation with DoSAL, distributed hygiene kits at the Mawassem center in Daraa, within the GBV programme.

The kits were distributed to 80 women, and included soap, medical gloves, face masks, chlorine, and surface disinfectants. The latter was done in order to target the largest number of families, and educate them about COVID-19, preventive measures, and precautions when using disinfectants.

Furthermore, one of the women said:” SSSD always thinks about us and our safety! The distributed disinfectants, which we really needed as we couldn’t afford their prices… Thank you so much!”.

In the context of precautionary measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, the team of the Syrian Association for Social Development distributed 70 hygiene kits at the Lam’et Dahab center in Zahira, Damascus, within the GBV programme.

The kits included soap, medical gloves, face masks, chlorine disinfectants, and hand sanitizers. In addition, health awareness brochures were distributed in order to increase the women’s awareness on COVID-19, and teach them the correct use of the distributed supplies to maintain their health and safety.

Furthermore, one of the women said:” We are very grateful! Thank you for the hygiene kits. We were in dire need for them, as we had a lot of difficulty in getting the protective supplies and disinfectants. I appreciate your concern for women’s health!”.