“Cleaning-up Rableh Village’s Streets” CBI - Rableh Village - Al-Qusair Countryside - Homs.
During our course to promote public hygiene concept in society, and the importance of preserving a civil appearance in Rableh village, as well as protecting families – especially children – from the health risks caused by garbage piles, as well as health risks caused by insects that swarm in dirty spaces. SSSD SoH team in Al-Qusair CC, in cooperation with UNHCR SoH, implemented a CBI under the title “Cleaning-up Rableh Streets” in Rableh village, Al-Qusair countryside, Homs.

Over 50 participants from all age groups, and both local and displaced communities, took part in this initiative. Starting by cleaning up the streets, collecting, and disposing all garbage into the landfill. After the cleanup, the participants mowed the grass, and repainted all sidewalks and lighting poles to bring life back to the way it used to be before the crises.

Students and teachers of Rableh schools participated as well in the activities of this initiative motivated by teamwork ethics, and promoting public hygiene as a base of civilized education and morality.

“THEY make up one half of society”—On the basis of this fact, and believing in the crucial role of women, and in order to enhance the community’s participation in finding solutions to their problems and meeting their needs, the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD) conducted on 03/10/2018 in Rural Damascus, in cooperation with the UNHCR, a community-based initiative (CBI) entitled Wardrobe Making.
The idea of the CBI emerged during a focus group discussion (FGD) session held with women, displaced and heads-of-household, in which they raised the problem of storing clothes in bags after washing them because there were no wardrobes in their homes. In the meantime, clothes had been exposed to wear and mold as a result of rodents and moisture.
20 women participated in the CBI and made 20 wardrobes with the help of beneficiaries of the Vocational Training and Livelihood Toolkits Program. The women’s enthusiasm was remarkable; so was their keen desire to experiment in totally new things. The CBI fostered a spirit of cooperation among women, establishing the skill of dialogue by accepting the different views that were presented regarding work proceedings, not to mention the experience the women gained in woodworking.
Every participant ended possessing a wardrobe for her family, increased her sense of responsibility and confidence in her ability to contribute in supporting her family and, last but not least, felt a great joy when the wardrobe was finished!

Workshop on "Building and Managing CBIs" - Hama and Masyaf.
In order to familiarize Syrian youth with the concept of CBIs, the Syrian Society for Social Development organized a workshop entitled "Building and Managing CBIs" in Hama and Masyaf in cooperation with the UNHCR. The workshop included:

- The concept of society.
- Identification of community needs.
- Community problem solving methodology
- Design and preparation of the CBI.

The workshop was attended by a group of young men and women who have the desire to initiate and solve the problems of their society and to leave a positive impression. The concept of CBIs has been widely recognized and the tools needed to design and manage effective CBI that basically serve the Syrian youth, society and the most vulnerable groups.

Based on our wish to support community-based solutions, the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD), in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), implemented a community-based initiative under the title “Bus Stops” .
During a Focus group discussion conducted with a group of Al Hameh resident at “ Al salam “ Community Center , the problem of lacking Bus stops in the area was Raised , jeopardizing residents - especially children and elders - of being exposed to Severe weather conditions during their wait of transportation . thus a Community based initiative was suggested to design and install three Bus stops in ( Al khabouri junction , Al Hameh junction and Al-Sekkeh ) , using the experience of local blacksmiths . children of the child protection club in the center contributed also in the CBI activities through helping with the paint work of the Bus stops .

The roof of the medical point at all-Twaheen, Cadmus, has been leaking inside the building, which damaged both the medical equipment and furniture and offered an unpleasant view, depressing the morale of both staff and patients and causing respiratory and pulmonary diseases.
After the local community reported the problem, an FGD was conducted by ORVs, from which emerged the idea of insulating the roof. After obtaining the approval of the UNHCR and the concerned government agencies, the required materials were procured and delivered to the self-managing group who mobilized the local community.
Work started on 01/08 and finished on 19/08/2018. After cleaning up the roof, burlap sheets and asphalt were spread all over it, especially into the cracks.
The number of beneficiaries reached about 10,000 children, men and women from both host and displaced communities. The following table gives the precise figures disaggregated by age and gender:

In order to enhance the confidence of women in themselves and their ability to help their families and help others, the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD) in Rural Damascus, in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), organized a community-based initiative under the title "we stand together ”.

The initiative, which was proposed by a group of mothers and elderly people who attend the activities of " Bet Al-Weam" community center within “ our ancient gold “ and “ hear my heart” groups, aims to manufacture clean and Healthy food which can be used for a long period of time (apricot jam - Cheese and sour cream - pickles - grapes leaves) , with the cooperation of the group who proposed the initiative among themselves and and the participation of a group of newly displaced women in the region , and distributing some portions to the families of the new immigrants from the region of Ghouta to the region of Jaramana using the help of SSSD monitoring of the targeted area , which contributed to strengthening bonds of love , spirit of partnership and teamwork among women by sharing their experiences during the implementation .

Based on our wish to support community-based solutions, the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD), in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), implemented a community-based initiative Al Hameh under the title “Road signs” .
The initiative, which was implemented by a group of the local community , with the help of the Child Protection Club at “ Al salam “ Community Center in Al Hameh , aims to install 25 road signs that contribute to guide the new IDPS to the important service centers in the area (the Municipality , the medical center , schools for different ages , the main street , the main square , Commercial market , town neighborhoods , charity associations ) , in addition to setting up guidance signs at dangerous turns to protect drivers and pedestrians from traffic accidents .

Ramadan breakfast tables, organized between SSSD and the local community at Arabesque Community Center.

Because Ramadan is the month of good and gathering of people, we had the idea of "Ramadan gathers us" events. The team of SSSD, in collaboration with the (UNHCR) office and by networking with people from the local community, prepared Ramadan breakfasts in Arabesque Community Center in Aleppo. The breakfasts gathered more than 1200 people. They were distributed on eight Fridays’ evenings that included family discussion about Ramadan and Eid rituals, a series of topics from the society provided by theater aims to support the families and to the community cohesion and in the region.

These breakfasts, with the help of young people from the region, returned to the people’s minds the gathering of large families. they expressed their joy as they said:
- Happiness is often a door open to the laughter of children, thank you because you shook the war’s dust and helped us to see the beauty of life.
-I haven’t felt the family gathering in the last five years, but today with you, I felt as if I’m in my house in the days of Ramadan before the crisis.
- We loved the way you welcomed us, and the play reminded us of our beloved people who are now far away.
- I was not able to get a breakfast like this for my children, and now I’m happy because they ate and had a good time.
- I feel like god have made my dream come true, I had a dram of sitting with you in some restaurant and feed you with my hand, and today my dream came true.
- I felt I’m in some European restaurant. I didn’t even imagen of sitting in a regular local one.
- thank you for shaking our fears and making us have the best time, God bless you. We feel like you’re family to us.
- Today, I had the time of my life, I did not expect to have this much fun, my children also had a lot of fun here. We felt like we are all a one big family.
- Thank you for taking the time to do this. You entered the joy to Kadi Askar and Bab Al Hadeed areas.
- I loved everything about today, I hadn’t have this fun sine 30 years.
One kid said “I saw these things on television before but I thought they were acting, I had the time of my life today, and it is real”.
-another kid said: “I haven’t had barbecue a long time a g. today I had them and they were delicious. I’m so happy”.
-One man said: “ the young people in the center are teaching us the meaning of volunteering and cooperation, you encouraged us to do and dream of stuff we didn’t think we could do them”.
-Another man said: “we felt the spirit of love and care we haven’t felt since the war began”.
-“thank your Arabesque center for all the things you’re doing, you’re developing the talents of children, adults and all ages"
-The people even mad a short song by saying: we had our breakfast, it was delusions. We even gave some to the neighbors. We had Eid cloths, and Ramadan gathers us.”

Based on our belief in safeguarding traditional trades by transmitting the lore to younger generations, thereby protecting the latter from unemployment, the SSSD team in Tartous, in cooperation with UNHCR, organized a CBI entitled Our Trades.
The initiative aimed to teach young men and women of the village of Shandakha the craft of soap handmaking with laurel berry oil. The idea was twofold: on the one hand, old craftsmen would transmit their knowhow to the young; and, by marketing the products at reasonable prices at the “Homemade Market,” people of the area would be protected against the monopoly of laurel oil exercised by some outsider tradespeople, on the other. In fact, the “Homemade Market” is one of SSSD’s decentralized projects aiming to secure a free place to display and sell products of the CBI. Beforehand, of course, young apprentices should follow a training course on the basics of project management and marketing.
The revenues of this initiative, which was completed on 7/2/2018, will be used to fit out a community space in the village of Shandakha, which is to become the villagers’ communal hall to meet and hold various social events.