The Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD) in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees conducted awareness raising sessions about preventive measures against COVID-19 throughout its community centers and satellite centers in Aleppo City and its suburbs, under the umbrella of Hear-My-Heart Program.

The team targeted 40 women in Arabesque Community Center, Bab Al-Hadeed elaborating on the symptoms of the disease and how it spreads. They addressed the most important and common questions, such as:
How Do I protect myself against COVID-19?
Avoid touching surfaces and disinfect them. Avoid touching your face. Avoid social gatherings. Get rid of your tissue right after sneezing or coughing and you’d better cough and sneeze into your elbow.

When Should I wear a face mask?
Either when you show symptoms of the disease or look after someone showing symptoms.
Most common symptoms: cough, and difficulty breathing.

Who are the people at higher risk of getting infected?
People with immune deficiencies and older persons. There are recent cases of children, especially infants and babies.
The team also taught the women the correct way of wearing face masks (colored side outward) and the difference between both sides. Toward the end of the sessions, the team distributed hand sanitizers and encouraged the women to spread awareness among their households and social circle.

Concluding the sessions, the team asked the beneficiaries about their opinions of the sessions:
• “We were scared to death; however, learning about preventive measures gave us reassurance that we could protect ourselves and our beloved.”
• “I am a widow and the only provider for my family, I have to stand in queue to buy bread or sugar. The idea of COVID-19 pandemic made me panic; however, information is power, I know what to do: I should maintain social distancing, wear gloves and a face mask.”
Further, the team designated parts of Hear-My-Heart sessions in the rest of the community and satellite centers across Aleppo city and its suburbs to raise the awareness level about safety and preventive measures (personal hygiene, quit shaking hands, the correct way of washing hands and using hand sanitizers, and the correct way of disinfecting things and surfaces).

The women assured the team to pass the information to their families and showed high sense of responsibility during the session, they were very creative in greeting each other while maintaining social distancing: some of them bowed like Japanese people, while others waved their hands in funny ways.
In the same vein, the Syrian Family Planning Association volunteered to conduct awareness raising sessions in Mosaic Community Center, Ashrafiyyeh. The sessions targeted 24 women and 46 men.

Due to the critical conditions the Syrian nation is going through and to raise awareness about the ramifications of COVID-19 and prevention means, the Syrian Society for Social Development conducted awareness raising sessions and recreational activities targeting children throughout its community and satellite centers in Aleppo City and its suburbs, in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The sessions covered preventive measures to limit the spread of the virus, stressing the importance of maintaining personal hygiene, and the correct way of hand washing on regular basis. The team also distributed awareness raising posters in all the community and satellite centers.

Here are some of the comments captured during the sessions:
1. “Today’s session helped me understand the difference between bacterial infection and viral infection.”
2. “What they told us is simple and familiar; nonetheless, it is very important to practice it on daily basis.”
3. “I loved the session, it made me realize the importance of maintaining my personal hygiene to protect myself.”
4. “We should maintain our health and use tissues when we cough or sneeze.”
5. “All viruses are dangerous, not only COVID-19. It is our responsibility to abide by preventive measures to protect ourselves.”
6. “I will teach my friends and siblings how to protect themselves against COVID-19.”
7. “I should maintain social distancing whenever I see my friends or any other person. Social distancing helps in limiting the spread of the disease.”
8. “Personal hygiene is the protective shield of our health.”
9. “Neglecting personal hygiene may cause a lot of contagious and serious diseases.”
10. “The minute we enter our homes, we should wash our hands, before touching anything.”
11. “I should sterilize my hands whenever I hold the door knob of my classroom or finish writing. I should keep my clothes clean.”
12. “I acquired information about COVID-19, especially ways of transmission and how it spreads. I plan to share the information with my parents once I reach home.”
13. “I learned about ways of infection. I plan to maintain social distancing and carry tissues in my pocket to protect others, if I sneeze.”
14. “From now on, I will regularly wash my hands and maintain my personal hygiene to protect myself and others against viral infection.”

Based on our role in protecting society, and in compliance with the safety instructions under the current conditions and the emergence of COVID-19, the teams of SSSD and UNHCR cooperated with the responsible authorities in Al-Hameh in order to distribute bread. The aim of the latter was to reduce gatherings, especially in public ovens, and was implemented within the Protection and Community Services programme at the Beit El Salam Center in Al-Hameh, Rural Damascus.

Coordination has been made with the concerned authorities to assist in the daily distribution to the residents, whereby all parts of the area were covered within specific hours.

Furthermore, the team distributed face masks and disinfectants to the staff within the baking oven and distribution points, in addition to helping in the preparation and packaging of bread bags, and distributing them to the accredited personnel across the whole area.

The Syrian Society for Social Development persistently follows up on COVID-19 circulations issued by the Syrian Ministry of Health and plays an active role in raising the awareness level among the most vulnerable groups of the community. Drawing on that, Hama team conducted awareness raising sessions in Al Ghab Plain, in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and in coordination with the medical point attached to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.

The sessions took place in Merdash School and Shathah Community Center “Beit Ward”, targeting children, adolescents, and women. The sessions covered preventive measures to protect yourself and others against the virus, how to play a role in limiting the spread of the disease, as well as explaining the differences between Influenza and Corona.

Concluding the sessions, the team distributed face masks and sterilizers to the beneficiaries.

As part of the national preventive measures against COVID-19, the Syrian Society for Social Development conducted several awareness raising sessions in Beit Al Salam Center, Al Hameh, Rural Damascus, in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The sessions targeted the staff and volunteers working in the center to empower them to follow proper procedures while dealing with the beneficiaries (different groups from the local community) and to educate them about proper handling of the inquiries of the beneficiaries about the virus.

Doctors and specialists volunteered to conduct the above-mentioned sessions. The sessions covered: (1) how the virus spreads and ways of infection, (2) prevention means, (3) illustration of the correct way of washing hands and wearing face masks.

The volunteers attending the session affirmed, “This session was very important and beneficial. We are no longer worried about attending to the inquires of the beneficiaries. Information is power and we are confident about sharing it with them.”

It is worth mentioning that the team followed disinfection measures as detailed.

• Before entering the hall, attendees were sprayed with sterilization material.
• During the session, the hall was disinfected.
• The attendees were divided into small groups to mitigate the risk of gathering in a closed space.