In response to the national preventive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, the Syrian Society for Social Development (the team responsible for Mosaic Community Center) conducted disinfection campaign in Al Ashrafiyye neighborhood.

The disinfection works covered 3500 m2 targeting the most crowded public facilities around the neighborhood, including the five bakery ovens (Kaakeh, Khindesh, Al-Zura, Al Sharq, and Al-Dar’uzi), Ashrafiyye Polyclinic, Syrian Trade Corporation Hall, Mukhtar office, and the grocery market. The disinfection works were conducted in cooperation with Al Mukhtar, members of Al Ashrafiyye neighborhood committee, and Syriac Service Sector which provided water cisterns to wash off the streets.

The team used sprinklers containing disinfectants and made sure to disinfect door knobs and metal bars. The team also pasted awareness raising posters about preventive measures against COVID-19 throughout the neighborhood.

The inhabitants of the neighborhood and shop owners were enthusiastic and participated in the works of the campaign, they washed off the streets and pavements, and disinfected their shops and building entrances. The inhabitants of Al Ashrafiyye expressed their gratitude for this campaign as it protects their families and children against infection risks and they praised its positive impact in instilling hope and assurance and spreading awareness.

The Syrian Society for Social Development conducted a disinfection campaign in Syriac Old Neighborhood, Aleppo City as part of its response to the national preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19. The team responsible for Mosaic Community Center conducted the campaign targeting around 6000 beneficiaries and covering the main market, commercial and service buildings, and disorganized residential complexes.

Some local authorities participated in the campaign works: Al Mukhtar, Syriac Old Neighborhood Committee, Syrian General Establishment for Grain, the General Company for Mills (GCM) which provided several disinfectant sprinklers.

The disinfection works covered the most crowded public places around the neighborhood: Syriac Bakery Oven, Syriac Polyclinic, Syrian Trade Corporation Hall, Directorate of Supply and Internal Trading, the Syrian Public Establishment for Grain (SPEG), GCM, and Al Mukhtar office. The disinfection works focused on the most touched/used surfaces, such as, door knobs, elevator control panel and buttons, and metal bars. The team distributed gloves to the cleaning workers and pasted awareness raising posters about COVID-19 around the neighborhood.

The Head of the First Education Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party and the Head of the IT Department of SPEG supported and attended the campaign.

The team responded to the inquiries of the inhabitants and shop owners around the neighborhood pertaining the disinfectants they could use and the correct ways of disinfecting their homes and shops.

The inhabitants Syriac Old Neighborhood expressed their gratitude for this campaign as it protects their families and children against infection risks and they praised its positive impact in instilling hope and assurance and spreading awareness.

As part of the national preventive measures against COVID-19 and out of the importance of protecting people with special needs and the staff offering them support, the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD) conducted disinfection works for the center attached to Yadanbiyad NGO for People with Special Needs in Aleppo City.

The disinfection works covered the playing rooms, the facilities, the backyards, the warehouses, the workshop rooms, the offices, and the transportation means attached to the center.

The management of Yadanbiyad NGO expressed their gratitude for SSSD’s initiative and shed light on importance of repeating disinfection works on regular basis.

The Syrian Society for Social Development conducted disinfection campaigns for two NGOs, the Female Juvenile Protection Association and the Beggars and Homeless Care Association. The teams responsible for Mosaic Community Center (Achrafieh) and Aman Center (Zibdiyye) led the campaign targeting around 40 residents.

The team disinfected all the departments and rooms of the two NGOs, pasted posters, distributed awareness raising brochures and hygiene baskets containing different types of disinfectants.

The team conducted individual awareness raising sessions about preventive measures, how the virus spreads, and the correct way of washing hands.

The beneficiaries expressed their gratitude for the campaign:
“We are appreciative of your efforts, you made us feel safe. We hope this pandemic will end soon.”
“I will always wash and disinfect my hands. This will protect my health and my family’s.”

Drawing on the saying, prevention is better than cure, and in response to the national preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19, the Syrian Society for Social Development conducted a disinfection and awareness raising campaign for two days in Bab Al-Hadid, Aleppo.

The Gender-Based Violence team attached to Arabesque Community Center led the campaign in cooperation with Al Mukhtar and a committee formed by the inhabitants, disinfecting places of social gatherings, including Qadi Askar Neighborhood, Al Zura Bakery Oven, Al Mukhtar office and adjacent commercial shops, Aghur and Bayyadah blocks, Almaji Neighborhood, and the Syrian Trade Corporation Hall in Jeb Quba.

Further, some women attached to SSSD’s women committees reached out to 27 individuals distributing soaps and awareness raising brochures about prevention and protection measures against COVID-19.

Here are some comments made by the inhabitants:
• “We really appreciate your concern about our safety and protection. We feel more responsible, after the disinfection works you conducted.”
• “I used to hear that COVID-19 is a pandemic; however, I did not know the ramifications of social gatherings. We should all spread awareness to protect the largest possible number of people.”
• “Even though this force majeure had its toll on every one, it did not stop you from being kind. The soap you distributed came right on time to protect us against this deadly virus.”

In response to the national emergency measures against COVID-19 and to raise the awareness level about the importance of protecting all household (HH) members against the risks of this virus, the Syrian Society for Social Development conducted initiatives in two of its centers, Blas Center, Southern Suburbs of Aleppo Governorate and Beit Al’ailah Center, Sulaiman Al Halabi, Aleppo City.

The team responsible for the Gender-Based Violence Program led the initiatives targeting women and adolescent girls. The initiatives lasted for 4 days 25-28 March and covered the needs of 44 HH in Blas Center and 96 HH in Beit Al’ailah.
The hygiene kits included chlorine, liquid soap, soap bars, Dettol, face masks, and a hand gel sanitizer, as well as, a sketch book, crayons, and children stories (to entertain children during the long hours of quarantine).

Further, the team distributed awareness raising posters about preventive measures against the virus in several strategic spots around the centers and on the main streets adjacent to them. They also measured the temperature of several beneficiaries using an ear thermometer, while disinfecting it and using a new probe tip before examining a new beneficiary.

The female beneficiaries were happy to express their thoughts:
• “The distribution of the hygiene kits was right on time. It is very challenging to secure these materials and their pretty expensive.”
• “Antiseptics and disinfectants should be available in every household. They protect us against this pandemic.”
• “You did not forget about our kids! You brought them useful things to occupy their prolonged hours at home.”
• “You caught our attention on the importance of checking up on our temperature and avoiding negligence in cases of high body temperature.”

In response to COVID-19 pandemic and to raise the awareness level of older persons against the virus, mitigate dangers, and strengthen their protection level, given the fact that they are most affected by the consequences of the virus.
The Syrian Society for Social Development visited Dar Mar Mansour for Older Persons in Aleppo City. The team provided individual awareness raising sessions against COVID-19 to correct wrong perceptions and to fight rumors, distributed hygiene kits, and sterilized the furniture and rooms using antiseptics and disinfectants.

Here are some of the comments the team captured:
• “Your visit made us happy. We are grateful for your support and for remembering us.”
• “Reaching this old age, I did not know the correct way of washing my hands.”
• “Thank for your lovely gift and lovely spirit. Always visit us.”

The Syrian Society for Social Development in partnership with the United Nations Populations Fund conducted awareness raising sessions about preventive measures against COVID-19 targeting women and adolescent girls.

The team responsible for Aman Center, Zibdiyeh, Aleppo elaborated on the symptoms of the virus (fever, cough, difficulty breathing, and in some cases development of Pneumonia symptoms). They also explained about people at higher risk of getting infected, such as, people who suffer from immune deficiencies, older persons, people with chronic lung diseases and diabetes diseases, and people who undergo cancer treatment.

The team also stressed the importance of preventive measures including maintaining personal hygiene, regular washing of hands, avoiding social gatherings, maintaining social distancing, coughing and sneezing into your elbow (not your hand).
The females shared their feelings with us:
• “Today’s session was really important, it taught me how to protect myself against this serious virus.”
• “This session reduced my anxiety, having known that preventive measures protect against this disease.”
• “We should minimize social gatherings and abide by the preventive measures to stop the spread of this disease.”

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.”