Safe and Dignified Living Conditions for vulnerable communities in Syria

To support vulnerable communities, Acted’s approach involves conducting comprehensive assessments to identify and address the key needs and risks of affected populations.

In the first year of the intervention, Acted significantly enhanced the living conditions of displaced populations by rehabilitating public infrastructure, including roads, six wastewater assets, and over 500 shelters. Additionally, cash assistance was provided to over 7,000 households to support their basic needs. Overall, in its first year, this intervention benefited over 200,000 people with multi-sectoral support.

Additionally, as part of this project interventions, Acted also implements a Cash-for-Work program, creating employment opportunities for displaced populations through their active participation in maintenance and improvement works within their communities. 

For Ahmed*, a 32-year-old man who was displaced from his home due to the conflict, finding a stable job to provide for his family of eight was particularly challenging.

After Ahmed’s displacement, he joined Acted’s Cash for Work program and started to contribute to shelter improvement, and maintenance works in his community. This opportunity allowed him to pay off his debt and alleviate the psychological stress of providing for his family. Ahmed was also able to gather the resources needed to return to his original profession of repairing home appliances.

“I am grateful that I can now pay off my debt and secure what I need to go back to my previous work, that is repairing kerosene stoves” – Ahmed*

Ola* is a 37-year-old woman who was displaced along with her nine children. After her displacement, Ola had to adapt and find a job to support her family. Acted’s Cash for Work program offered her an opportunity to restart. Beginning as a community worker to support displaced populations, Ola progressively rebuilt her confidence. Her dedication and hard work soon led her to a new role as a protection facilitator.

Acted additionally assisted Noor*, who is a 33-year-old woman that experienced psychological issues after enduring domestic violence. After being displaced in 2017, Noor was the only one caring for her sick mother and had to borrow money to secure the needed treatment for her.
After hearing about Acted’s services, Noor turned to Acted’s protection team to refer her for psychological support. This decision marked a pivotal moment in her journey; not only did she receive the help she needed, but she also seized the opportunity to apply for a job within Acted’s unit, becoming the first female guard in her community.

“After benefiting from Acted’s support and after hearing the news of my acceptance to work, I was overwhelmed with happiness. I felt independent and comfortable and that I was now able to pay off the debt and secure the necessary medicine for my mother” – Noor*

Accessing these job opportunities not only allowed Ola and Noor to provide for their families, but also instilled in them a deep sense of accomplishment and ambition.

When 22-year-old widow Taghreed* was displaced, she began working in sewing for the families within her community to support her three children and parents. After injuring her foot and requiring urgent surgery that left her in debt, she sought assistance from Acted.

Acted provided Taghreed with a short-term job opportunity within her community, which allowed her to cover the debt from the surgery and set aside funds to pursue her dream of starting her own hairdressing business.

“After being accepted in Acted’s cash-for-work program, I was overwhelmed with happiness and I felt independent and comfortable because despite my health condition, I was able to work and secure my children’s needs” – Taghreed*

Through Acted’s support, Taghreed was able to gain the confidence and resources to develop her own project where she plans to open her own hair salon.