Home

Al-Hasakah

"Tannour Bread" Initiative

The poor families of the local and IDP communities live in very difficult conditions, and go through hardship in order to provide their daily basic needs, especially bread. Thus, the SSSD team, in cooperation with UNHCR, implemented an initiative entitled "Tannour Bread" within the Community-Led Initiatives (CLI) Programme at Beit al-Kell Center in Qamishli, Al-Hasakah.

During the initiative, residents of each of the different neighborhoods in Qamishli, that face great difficulty in obtaining bread, built a Tannour support made of the concrete bricks and mud, and installed an umbrella to protect workers from the sun in summer and rain in winter.

In conclusion, there was a very large participation of the residents in the construction of the Tannour support, as well as in making bread. The initiative saved the residents’ time spent in front of the bakeries for long hours, and contributed to the protection of women and girls from being harassed due to overcrowding at the bakeries.

 

Thalassemia Heros -CBI

In a real story starred by epic heroes and heroines who lived in the shade. Their lives were nothing but struggle and fight against disease, who suffered in every sense of the word; nonetheless, they are still holding on to life, clinging to looms of hope. Out of the belief that all community members enjoy the same rights regardless of gender, ethnicity, or social class and that everyone has the right to proper healthcare and the right to receive treatment in proper facilities,
SSSD in partnership with UNHCR and cooperation with the staff of Al-Qamishly National Hospital carried out a CBI rehabilitating the Thalassemia section.
The CBI included cleaning up works, changing mattress covers, wall painting, installing an air-condition, TV and curtains, repairing serum stands and patient conveyance wagons. Upon completing the CBI works, an event was held honoring the staff hospital and many children suffering from Thalassemia.
The CBI was completed on 20 Oct 2018, benefiting more than 750 persons suffering from Thalassemia.

My safe park - CBI

Ensuring the safety of children while playing is one of the most important children rights. Out of the belief that playing is crucial for children development, SSSD in partnership with UNHCR provided support to a group of young men and women to rehabilitate a park. Some of the participants work in the administrative team of a school and others are the inhabitants of the adjacent neighborhood to the school. The youths removed tree trunks (cut logs) and reeds, cleaned up the park, repaired the playground equipment, and made benches from used tires. 
The CBI was completed on 22 Sep 2018, benefiting 1011 children from the school and adjacent neighborhood.

making mosquito nets

Having faith in the critical role women play in the community and the importance of providing the means for them to step in to find solutions for community dilemmas, SSSD team in cooperation with UNHCR supervised a CBI in Al-Layliyeh neighborhood, Al-Hasakah governorate carried out by a group of women to protect the inhabitants, especially children, from mosquito bites and Leishmania disease.  The women sewed mosquito nets and distributed them to the families residing in the neighborhood.
The CBI was completed on 24 Sep 2018, benefiting nearly 850 individuals/100 families.

Al-Khabour River Banks - CBI

Strongly believing in the abilities of the civil society to make a substantial difference through supporting individuals and directing their energies toward solving the problems they face, SSSD team in cooperation with UNHCR provided support to a group of men and youths to overhaul part of Al-Khabour river banks. They cleaned up the river banks, lit it up, planted trees, and set up benches to protect children and women from alcohol and drug addicts who used to hang out there in the dark, neglected area.
The CBI was completed on 27 Sep 2018, benefiting 1400 persons in the neighborhood.

"Small Steps" Campaign and Events

With “small steps” and eyes gleaming with hope, the children filled the ceremonial halls in the governorates of Damascus, Sweida, Aleppo, Hama, Tartous, Homs and Hasakeh, where the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD) is carrying out its activities. And with joyful voices, they sang the slogan of the Rights of the Child Campaign, which was carried out throughout November:
My rights are many,
but with one small step
I own myself…
and them in the process!
The campaign included a variety of activities targeting children, adolescents and caregivers. It aimed at raising awareness about the rights of the child and the importance of all children’s access to them, and was concluded with a number of events to celebrate World Children’s Day.
During the events, the children presented artistic performances that emphasized the rights of the child, provided for in the 1989 UN Convention, and highlighted the causes of children’s exposure to risks, such as child labor, school dropout and even delinquency. These causes include not only depriving the child of care in general and family care in particular, but also neglecting and marginalizing children during childhood and other growth stages, which negatively affects them, and then the community as a whole.
The children’s interaction with the events’ activities and artistic performances was truly remarkable. Making use of their various talents, they were able to convey the message to their peers, as well as to their parents, teachers and other groups that attended. The Small Steps Campaign and Events constituted a strong step towards achieving a safe and healthy childhood and a new space for children—provided by SSSD in cooperation with the UNHCR.

 

Success is Limited to No One

Mrs. A M is a 33-year-old widow with 6 children, one of whom has down’s syndrome. Her husband was martyred 5 years ago after his enrollment in the National Defense. The family is from Nassirah in Hassakeh and resides in its own property, which makes Mrs. A.M the sole breadwinner after her husband’s death. Right after the heartbreaking death, the family suffered direly from poverty due to the absence of a breadwinner.

This made Mrs. A M feel helpless because of how the society viewed her: a widowed woman with no one to support her. Consequently, she decided to support her family and search for a job, but was faced with psychological pressure from the way her community looked at her and viewed her. Even though she tried to overcome these barriers, she couldn’t find any job, which put her down and crushed her dreams of supporting her family.

Once she was spotted by one of SSSD’s outreach volunteers and her project was approved, that was her ray of hope in all the darkness surrounding her and the turning point in her life as well as her family’s. From that moment on her life changed drastically, as she started her own project (grocery) with both the financial and psychological support from SSSD. Also, she was offered a course that enables her to manage her own project. Thanks to the project, Mrs. A  M was able to provide the family’s basic needs and treatment to her ill child. Additionally, this project gave her a sense of stability since she became an independent woman and her life improved a lot.

“This project was truly lifechanging and made me feel more stable and comfortable because I was able to support my family. None of this would have been possible without SSSD’s efforts, and for that I am deeply grateful”, confirmed Mrs. A.M.

Since women suffer a lot in our society, especially divorcees and widows, all organizations and associations must provide help and support women, and that is exactly what SSSD embodied.

 

Your Help was my Salvation

Mr. Kh N is a 36-year-old married man with four children residing in Mjarjaa. He had many failed attempts to improve his family’s life because of his employers’ exploitation and greed, which put him down and crushed his modest dreams.

Once he was spotted by one of SSSD’s outreach volunteers, the spark of hope was reignited and his life was turned upside down when the project of his dreams was approved.

Thus, Mr. Kh’s journey towards achieving his dreams began. During his journey, SSSD supported him both financially and psychologically and subjected him to a project management course. Afterwards, his project, which was a satellite dish shop, was launched.

The project changed Mr. Kh and his family’s life course through the income it has brought them, as they were finally able provide for their basic needs. It has also brought them stability and changed their lives positively, which was confirmed by Mr. KH:” This project is a new beginning through which I can support my family and live independently.”

"Their Help was my Salvation" is the principle from which Mr. Kh embarked on and that SSSD embodied.

 

Success is a Ladder you Cannot Climb with Your Hands in Your Pocket

Mr. B A, born in 1976, is the sole breadwinner of his wife, three children, mother and siblings. The family was displaced from Deir al-Zor, Mayadin, and currently resides in a rent at Ghweiran neighborhood.

Like so many Syrian families, Mr. B A and his family fled to al-Hassakeh without shelter or food. This led to the deterioration of their financial situation and exposure to psychological stress.

When one of SSSD’s outreach volunteers spotted Mr. B A, his life perspective changed positively. That was the moment where he could finally achieve his dreams with great determination.

To attain his dream, SSSSD helped him morally and offered him a course in Project Management that would help him manage his project__ a shop to repair motorbikes.

This project changed Mr. B A’s life, as its revenue helped him provide for his family and offer them a sense of moral and financial stability. He also established many social relations and acquaintances.

"The project changed my life radically and I no longer have concerns as before”, confirmed Mr. B A.

 

And so he continued living on the principle of success, that only comes through perseverance and determination.

 

My Life Became Brighter

Mrs. Kh H is a 42-year-old widow, mother of 10 and the sole breadwinner. She was displaced from Deir al-Zour and is currently living in a rented house along with her mother-in-law, and pays a rent of 15000 SYP per month. Like thousands of Syrian families, she fled with her family to a future that’s lacks shelter and financial stability. What made matters even worse was her health’s deterioration and exposure to psychological stress. Even though Mrs. Kh H tried very hard to improve her family’s situation, the greed of her employers stood in her way.

Mrs. Kh H was spotted by one of SSSD’s outreach volunteers, the thing that brought back her lost hope and changed her life. After she attended a course on Project Management offered by SSSD, her project was approved and she could finally follow her dreams in opening a sewing shop.

Mrs. Kh H’s project changed her life forever, as she was able to improve her family’s situation. This was confirmed by her as she said:” This project is a new beginning through which I can support my family and live independently.”

“Capability to Change” is the principle Mrs. Kh H adopted and embodies by SSSD.

 

Subscribe to Al-Hasakah