Hygiene is a mark of civilization, its absence a threat to human health. That is why the team of the Syrian Society for social Development (SSSD) in Tartous, in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), organized a community-based initiative entitled Rass al-Nabe‘ Suspension Bridge clean-up.
The CBI consisted in eradicating the reed stalks that used to grow in profusion on both sides of the bridge, as the spot was infested with rodents and insects. It was also “infested” with few voyeurs who caused serious embarrassment for girls and women on their way to their schools and jobs. The CBI consisted in strengthening the metal railings on the bridge edges and the maintenance of its lighting equipment.
The initiative was implemented in cooperation with the residents of the area. 20,000 people benefited from it, including 3,000 IDPs, and was completed on 17/12/2017.

The Syrian Society for Social Development firmly believes in community participation and, hence, in the importance of safe spaces for holding social activities. Consequently, SSSD’s team in Tartous, in cooperation with the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), organized a community-based initiative entitled Fitting out a community-friendly space in Taleen.
Most villagers took part in the implementation of the CBI which aimed, thanks to the villagers’ collective efforts, to provide the already established community-friendly space with new tables and to repaint the walls with a special thermal insulating coat to prevent mould and damp. As a result, Taleen has now a safe and healthy community-friendly place where villagers can hold their various social activities.
Completed on 20/12/2017, the initiative benefited all villagers, i.e., 2,500 people, 200 of whom are returnees.

As public safety, especially of the elderly, children and people with specific needs, is a priority, the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD) in Tartous, in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), organized in Banias a community-based initiative entitled Rehabilitation of the Bus Station Pedestrian Bridge.

This bridge is a vital artery linking the southern part of the city to the Bus Station, thus saving people about 2-km foot walking from residential areas to the Station. A team from the local community participated in carrying out the initiative by installing safety metal railings on both sides of the bridge and repainting the whole metal structure.

Completed on 21/2/2018, the CBI benefited about 9,500 people who live in the southern part of the city which is adjacent to the Bus Station.

As infrastructure upgrade contributes to developing productivity and improving profitability, the SSSD team in Tartous, in cooperation with UNHCR, launched a CBI entitled Rehabilitation of the Khirbet al-Sanasel Road.
This off-road connects farmlands between two neighbouring villages. As it used to be unpaved, it was extremely hard for owners of lands on both its sides to access their own lands, bring over the necessary raw materials or transfer the crops to the city. Therefore, most villagers—farmers in particular—took part in the implementation of the CBI. Gravel was spread all over and subsequently rolled, thus turning the wild, dirty road into a passable one for cars and trucks.
The initiative, which was completed on 11/12/2017, benefited about 1,800 low-income people of both local and IDP communities.

This youth initiative was launched by a group of engineering faculties’ graduates and undergraduate students (in electricity, mechanics, electronics and computer science), with support from the SSSD team in Banias and UNHCR.
The initiative aimed to convey notions of applied popular science by executing some simple technical applications. It targeted all schoolchildren in Banias and its rural areas, especially children who showed keen interest and are skilled in electromechanical device making, so they could demonstrate their talents.
A final exhibition of the students’ models was held at the Cultural Centre in Banias on 27-28 December 2017 as a result of a three-month arduous training.

Based on our belief in nurturing a “culture of giving” in society, and in order to protect children from fierce winter cold, the SSSD team in Tartous, in cooperation with UNHCR, launched a CBI entitled To Give Is to Love.

The initiative aimed to use the skills of women who attended the Wool Knitting and Crochet course within the Hear-My-Heart Programme, and who had also come up with the idea, by making scarfs for children, both IDPs and locals.

 The scarfs were distributed in the SSSD Community Centre in Banias (Beit al-Yasmin) and al-Qreir School on 25/1/2018, to be used by more than 250 girls and boys.

Since learning is basically the inalienable right of all, and in view of our goal to remove all obstacles that hinder the integral growth and social integration of children with specific needs, the SSSD team, in cooperation with UNHCR, organized a community-based initiative entitled Our Children.

The initiative was proposed by a group of mothers and aimed to improve the capacity of their CwSN to express themselves and to achieve the goals of the Portage Programme in improving the children’s physical, intellectual and cognitive abilities. 

To that effect, the mothers made a variety of tools and materials that would help their children and other CwSN at al-Rajaa Charity and My Child and I and Basma centres.

Implementation was completed on 18/12/2017 to benfit more than 50 CwSN.

Based on GBV standards and methods, and our belief in young women’s abilities to play an effective role in society. Moreover, aiming to protect them from intellectual abuse resulted by reading inappropriate states painted on the walls of the school.
SSSD team in cooperation with UNHCR implemented a community-based initiative in Gueran neighborhood – Al-Hasakah governorate. The CBI consisted repainting the walls at the schoolyard by the administrational staff and a group of students, in addition to painting drawings and establish resting benches made out of cement, as well as rubble removing and rehabilitating the schoolyard, a cleanup campaign and maintaining the fire distinguishers.
The CBU concluded by May 16, 2017, 689 individuals benefited from the administrational staff and school pupils.

Water in daily life is certainly indispensable. So in order to spare women and children the hardship of carrying water from the ground floor to the second floor, develop friendly relations among residents and mitigate disputes arising over the only water point available, the SSSD team, in cooperation with UNHCR, implemented a community-based initiative under the title Mayy w’ nadhafeh (“Water and Hygiene”) at the Ibrahim al-Sheikh Collective Shelter, Qamishli City (al-Hasakeh Governorate).

The CBI consisted in installing a water pipe network with several taps to deliver water to all floors of the facility. Furthermore, a pump and a large water tank were installed with all accessories. To crown it all, a full cleanup and rodent control campaign was conducted.

The CBI was concluded on June 6, 2017, benefiting 220 people, all being CS residents
 

Based on our belief in motivating the youth to come out with suitable solutions for community challenges, the SSSD team, in cooperation with UNHCR, implemented a community-based initiative at the village of Qana, in the southern countryside of al-Hasakeh Governorate, under the title “Wells rehabilitation and water tanks manufacturing.”
The village had long suffered from lack of water due to wells vandalism, water pumps theft and the security situation in the area in general. So the CBI aimed to secure water for daily use by rehabilitating several wells that were upgraded with water tanks manufactured by the village’s youth to secure a permanent source of water.
The CBI was concluded on November 15, 2017, benefiting 820 people.