Mrs. Halima is a 36-year-old mother of four. She and her family were displaced from her place of residence, Homs, and are currently residing in Jaramana.

Shortly after her marriage, problems with her husband arose due to his mistreatment and abuse. Unfortunately, she bore this burden alone since her parents lived outside Syria.

Her husband’s violence and abuse increased even more after their displacement, whereby she was continuously beaten and humiliated in front of her children till she once collapsed and had to go to a hospital.

Since this abuse also affected her children, she thought of getting a divorce, but didn’t get any encouragement from her parents.
Mrs. Halima’s eldest son left school because of their bad financial situation, and started learning a new profession_ sewing. As for her, she worked in a coal factory.
Interventions:
Mrs. Halima was introduced to the Jaramana through a friend of hers, and registered her young son in the center’s activities.

She started attending awareness campaigns on GBV, and was later on transferred to the case manager. After several sessions, the intervention plan was developed.
 She was referred to the Psychological Services Programme, and began attending sessions with the psychologist despite her difficult working conditions. “After my sessions with the specialist, I learned how to deal with my husband, and he no longer beats me. My psychological state changed, as I became more acquainted with my rights, and knew how to defend myself. Now I feel strong, and I know that there are people who support me” expressed Mrs. Halima.
 She was then referred to the Vocational Training Programme, where she got a sewing machine to practice the profession in Homs.

 She and her son started working on the machine, and their financial situation started improving.
These interventions had a great impact on Mrs. Halima and her children, especially her eldest son, who was aware of all the problems and was deeply affected by them. Since she started working and her psychological state improved, the affected son became stronger, more responsible, and supportive of his mother.
Mrs. Halima said: “I am deeply grateful to SSSD for their support. For every woman out there subject to violence and abuse, do not keep quiet and abandon your right… Be strong for yourself and your children, because strength is found within you!”

A.TH is a 17-year old young man coming from an internally displaced family.Speaking about his life, he always used the word “loser”, particularly when referring to his failures: failing the ninth-grade national exam, dropping out of school, and being admitted into Khaled Ibn Al-Waleed Juvenile Center for abusing and selling drugs.

He joined the school attached to the center following his parents wish.

 
He missed out on many classes and teachers always complained about his attitude in class. His only response to the teaching staff corrective instructions was, “I am a loser, that’s what my father and mother have always thought of me, I don’t understand why they want me to go back to school now!” Then he began talking about his school drop-out experience: 
“I had an eye removal surgery at my early childhood days due to a tumor and my parents couldn’t afford an artificial eye. My embarrassment of my face appearance doubled and tripled as days passed by, and I let my hair grow long to hide my face.

At the beginning of the school year of the ninth-grade, the school principal instructed me to cut my hair, neglecting my feelings and reasons. Up until one day, she decided to expel me and cornered me to cut my hair to dismiss the expulsion.

That day was the breaking point of my life, I decided not to return to her school, I thought I was able to carry on with my education somewhere else and avoid such unjust rules.” 
He carried on, “For the second time in my life, with my parents’ tight financial abilities, I was not able to join a private center, and thus resorted to self-study, it was very tough experience, I was doomed to fail. My parents blamed me for quitting school and I heard the word loser a thousand times. I spent long hours on the streets to avoid hearing that word and met new friends, who were more understanding and encouraged me to work to prove that I am not a loser.”

“After sometime, I worked in a bakery oven; however, my self-esteem was still distorted, whenever I looked into my parents’ eyes, the word loser flashed, and sadness became my closest friend. The owner of the bakery oven gradually became a close friend of mine, one day as I was opening up my heart about my disappointments, he gave me an illegal street drug, the relief and ecstasy I felt were great.

I have been using drugs from that day onward, they help me escape the bitter reality. However, I found myself in need of more money, so I decided to sell drugs. Working as a dealer, I was arrested on the very first day and admitted into Khaled Ibn Al-Waleed Juvenile Center.

My parents want me to return to school, but I can’t wait to be discharged to rework in drug selling, it is my dream, I will make lots of money and prove to the world and my parents that I am not a loser.”

At that point, the education officer of the center activated her intervention with the young man:

⁻ When you dropped out of school, I noticed that you were determined on carrying on with your education. Was it just to prove to the principal that you did not need her school? 
⁻ No!
⁻ What was your dream? 
⁻ I wanted to be a journalist, a big shot one, I wanted to change the world with my words, I wanted to do a lot of things..
⁻ I wish you are aware of the way you talk about your dreams
⁻ What do you mean Miss? 
⁻ The way you are talking is very passionate and enthusiastic
⁻ It was my dream
⁻ Let’s give it a try, you can make your dream come true
⁻ I am a loser
⁻ You faced some tough circumstances like any other person in the world. You overcame them, and you should start all over again.
⁻ So you think that I am not a loser? 
⁻ You are not
⁻ Can I? 
⁻ It is up to you; you have to decide. 
⁻ I can 

The teaching staff worked in tandem to motivate and encourage the young man and spread the word about his educational progress; however, there was a bottle neck, the teachers noticed that he was high several times and heard him talking to his peers about the positive effects of drugs on the memory and focus levels.

The education officer was direct and asked him not to use drugs when attending classes. He kept using drugs upon entering the classes, even though she kept asking him not to, up until she decided along with the psychosocial support team to put him in a situation similar to the one he faced in his old school.

She expelled for lack of commitment toward school rules. He sent her many messages through mediators, some were negative “It is better to quit school” and others were positive “I will commit”. 
One day he came to her crying..
⁻ Why are you crying? 
⁻ I sent everyone I know to speak to you and you did not approve my return to school. 
⁻ There is one person who may make me change my mind.
⁻ Who? 
⁻ It’s you. 
- Remember the first time you quit school (I am not defending the principal) I think that she wanted you to believe in yourself; however, you did not understand her message and thus your reaction was not correct.

For the second time in your life, I am telling you to believe in yourself and your capabilities; overcome your weaknesses to make your dreams come true. 
The discussion lasted for two hours and eventually he returned to school and passed the exam. 
On the day the results of the ninth- grade national exam were announced, the young man ran all over the center crying out of happiness and saying, “I made it, I passed the exam, I am not a loser,” approaching all of his peers hugging them. 
⁻ He hurriedly approached the officer saying, “I want the baccalaureate books.” 
⁻ Slow down a little bit.
⁻ I want the books.. 
⁻ You have to register for the General Secondary certificate exam. 
⁻ Explain please.
⁻ Slow down a little bit.
⁻ I want the books; I want to have a piece of my dream next to me when I sleep tonight. 
Oh! Sorry Miss, I forgot to thank you.

I am grateful for the Syrian Society for Social Development.

I am grateful for the best team. Thank you very much Miss. The taste of success is very sweet. I want to accomplish more and more and be a famous journalist. 
The young man was discharged from the center after few days.

Nevertheless, the team of the center did not stop its support, providing him with all school supplies and following up with him about his progress, particularly his grades and teachers’ opinions.

With determination and hard work, he carried on with his education. On the very first day of the winter term, the education officer invited the young man to Khaled Ibn Al-Waleed Juvenile Center to give a speech about his experience. He expressed a lot gratitude and appreciation and kept saying, “Failure is when you quit. You should never quit. I was able to pull it out.. all of you could be successful.

The taste of success is very sweet.”
One fine day the education officer received a call from the young man, bringing the good news of passing the General Secondary certificate Exam.

His words touched her heart, “Today is the culmination of my success. I am thankful to the Syrian Society for Social Development, I hold high respect and appreciation to the best team, I will never ever forget your support and Allah’s blesses.”

Alaa Mahmoud, a 10-year-old female child, suffering from Down syndrome, her 9-member family fled Sbenieh around 5 years ago and moved to Al-Mazarae neighborhood, Jaramana.

One of the mother’s friends who regularly attended sessions and activities at Athar Al-Farashah Community Center, attached to the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD), introduced her to the center, particularly the groups targeting people with special needs.

Upon visiting the center, the mother was enrolled in the friendship groups, where she talked about Alaa’s stubbornness and her violence with her siblings. The staff gradually integrated Alaa in the children activities and with close follow up she was later enrolled in the Home-Based Rehabilitation Program (HBRP).

Upon evaluating Alaa’s condition, targets were set and a family plan convenient to the mother was developed and explained, as well as an individual plan. The mother was also provided with an individual target-activity chart.
Eventually hard work and close follow up paid off and Alaa was able to meet most of the targets:
1- Alaa let go of quarrel with her siblings and peers and is constantly working on improving her communication skills with others.
2- She is able to follow the directions of mind and physical games when playing with her peers.
3- She is capable of identifying geometric shapes, drawing squares and circles, and assembling small puzzles (5-10 pieces).
4- She is capable of differentiating numbers and letters and counting (ascending order).
5- She is capable of responding to questions starting with “what if” using the corresponding, proper verbs.
6- Her ability of understanding jokes and funny incidents was developed.
7- Her physical ability was developed: she knows how to play jump rope, how to hop, and how to balance on very tight surfaces.
8- She was trained to observe and appreciate the fascinating world of nature.
9- She now chooses her clothes on her own in response to the weather conditions. She also knows how to change water temperature while washing her hands and taking a shower.
The mother talked about the great relief her family felt due to Alaa’s substantial developments; behavior improvements, awareness development, better interaction at home and in groups.