In the context of the preventive and precautionary steps taken by the government to confront the emerging COVID-19, and based on our genuine concern for our students in the first place, and for all the area’s residents, the Syrian Society for Social Development, in cooperation with the UNHCR and the Municipality of Adra Al-Balad, implemented a sterilization campaign within the Protection and Community Services programme at Farah Center in Adra, Rural Damascus.
The campaign included sterilizing the schools of Adra Al-Balad, Adra Al-Jadida, Tal Al-Sawan, and Al-Thanaya village.
Furthermore, SARC, the Noor Society for Relief and Development, and local committees from the area participated in the campaign.
Due to widespread spread of COVID-19 in neighboring countries, as well as the high number of infections, and in order to spread awareness among the residents, the Syrian Society for Social Development team, in cooperation with the UNHCR, implemented an initiative to distribute precautionary materials to face the threat of COVID-19 within the Community-Based Initiatives programme. The latter included protective face masks, soap, disinfectants, and awareness brochures at the Farah Community Center in Adra Al-Balad, Rural Damascus.
Just like other families that suffered greatly from the crisis, family /B/ consisted of six members_ the parents and their four young children, the eldest being in second grade_ and lived in a modest, damaged house.
The house they lived in lacked many materials necessary to its rehabilitation, for it to become a healthy and suitable place to live in. Unfortunately, the family couldn’t afford such materials due to their dire financial situation.
To make things worse, the mother suffered from nerve inflammation (carpal tunnel) because of all the housework she had to do, such as handwashing her children’s clothes, which was extremely tiresome.
Luckily, the ORV team of the Syrian Society for Social Development in Adra monitored the needs of the poor family, through the Farah Community Center located there. Consequently, they were referred to the In-kind Assistance programme in order to assist them to the greatest extent possible.
Furthermore, the team provided them with a washing machine with two basins to help the mother wash clothes, which would relieve the pressure on her and relieve her pain.
Thus, the joy of the family was great, especially that of the mother, with the help provided by SSSD.
Moreover, family B were intrigued, and wanted to know more about SSSD and the programmes and services it provides, as well as to participate in it and introduce others in need of help.
Mrs. M.M. is mother to three children. Displaced from Ghouta, she currently lives in the city of Adra. She is definitely a woman head-of-household, as her husband has been missing for four years now.
She used to work as a cleaner in houses and factories to meet her and her family’s basic needs in terms of clothing, food and education—ending up with a herniated disc due to the unbearable strain she was under.
Through the SSSD case manager, Mrs. M.M. was referred to the Vocational Training Program to learn a career that would help her improve her livelihood.
She was selected for a course in hairdressing and beauty care at the Farah Community Center, Adra, where she learned the basics of women’s hairdressing and beauty care in all details.
Soon enough, Mrs. M.M. began to market herself on social media and started working at home. Her income soon improved noticeably—to meet all the needs of her home.
She is now thinking about opening a salon in cooperation with one of the beneficiaries, as her work has been well received by many women from the local community.
Fleeing Al Hasakah City to Adra City, F.E became the only provider for her 6 children, especially after being divorced.
The woman faced a lot of adversities after fleeing her home city, she was not able to put a roof for her family and hardly found jobs, where she suffered from abuse and harassment.
While staying in Adra, F.E visited Farah Center which is attached to the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD), where the volunteers referred her to the Start-up Small Business Grants Program and GBV Case Management Program.
The woman was enrolled in a training course revolving the basics of business management and how to launch a small business. The woman showed a lot of enthusiasm during the course and was happy to launch her own women’s clothes shop.
F.E was interviewed and given a business grant. Upon receiving her shop, the woman spared no minute and actively developed her project, buying a sewing machine. She made sure her drop-out kids resumed studying and began treating her sick daughter.
Not only she sold ready- made clothes, she designed and made clothes of her own. She constantly worked on renewing her clothes’ lines and adding new products, such as, watches, accessories and make-up brands.
F.E was happy to talk about the great change in her life and shared her success story within her community.
I am special, and my disability is not my death sentence!
Sabah is a 12-year-old girl who lives with her mother and five sisters. As for her father, he went missing, which made her mother the sole breadwinner for the family.
Sabah suffered from herniated nucleus pulposus, hydrocephalus, and hemiplegia since she was born, which caused her many difficulties and challenges. Nevertheless, it did not prevent her from going to school and striving for her education.
Sabah’s mother was responsible for dropping Sabah off to school in the morning and taking her back at the end of school hours. The latter posed a heavy burden on her, since her daughter’s school was quite far from their home. On top of all that, Sabah suffered from fatigue due to sunlight exposure for a long period of time.
Fortunately, Sabah got introduced to the Syrian Society for Social Development through the Farah Center in Adra, and joined the Friendship groups. While at the center, her mother learned that SSSD also provided medical assistance.
Consequently, Sabah's case was brought up to the Health and Medical programme manager, who in turn assisted her by providing her with a wheelchair for the children.
The wheelchair changed both Sabah and her mother’s lives, as Sabah didn’t feel tired anymore when going to school, and it reduced the mother’s burden and fatigue. It also helped Sabah move around easily and play some of the games with her friends and sisters. Thus, Sabah became one of the top students at school.
The mother’s joy was overwhelming, as she expressed:" You have brought me comfort, and made my dear daughter extremely happy, since she is now able to play with her friends at school…”