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Believing in the ability of the Syrians to make living and produce, and towards empowering the most vulnerable people in society, IhsanRD has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a number of local councils in Dar’a governorate in order to start a new project to support small businesses in the region that will give beneficiary families the opportunity to be self-reliant and take the lead in insurance of food and decent living.

This Project is part of a series of projects funded by King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, in several Syrian governorates aimed at strengthening the resilience of the Syrians in face of the difficult conditions they have suffered since the beginning of the war. These projects are also directed to moving beneficiaries from a state of dependence on food aid to a state of active work and production.
The Small Businesses Support Project in Dar’a Governorate is being implemented over a period of 6 months in the towns of Saida, Karak, Al Sahwa and Giza. Afterward, it will expand to several villages in the northern countryside of Aleppo. The project provides support to 150 beneficiaries selected from IDPs and host communities from the most vulnerable people.

The project activities include two main phases:
The first phase of the project (training), where the training will be provided to the beneficiaries on the design and planning of small business projects, including the budget planning and development of the project strategy and taking into account the principles of security and safety and environmental conservation during the implementation of the business. As well as practical training on how to fill the project proposal to be submitted to the selection committee for projects to be supported.

The second phase of the project (support and consultation) After the trainees submit the project proposals, a specialized team from IhsanRD will study the submitted proposals and grant approvals for the projects that meet the criteria. The beneficiaries will be supported by materials and equipment necessary for them to start their own business.

Fianlly, IhsanRD’s team will provide technical support and consultation to ensure continuity and success of the project. “By supporting small businesses, we aim at securing stable income for beneficiaries and to give them the opportunity to start their own businesses that support their independence away from relying on traditional relief assistance,” said Mr. Loay, project manager at IhsanRD.

One would be impressed by the Syrians’ determination to continue their lives in the face of a fierce war that has been going on for more than seven years and has damaged most of the infrastructure in many parts of Syria. It has become difficult for the Syrians to advance production and secure a living under these harsh circumstances. Indeed, there is an urgent need for emergency response with food aid, shelter, hygiene kits and winter baskets for more than 6.1 million internally displaced persons, especially with the recent high level of fighting that has led to the displacement of about 300,000 civilians in Idlib governorate, in addition to the displacement of a large number of people from rural Damascus and northern Homs. However, most Syrians prefer to produce their own crops and earn their livelihood rather than simply getting food aid baskets. This has led many humanitarian organizations to establish food security and livelihood support projects in a way that allows people to have a decent and sustainable livelihood.

An example of this is the project launched by King Salman Humanitarian Aid And Relief Centre to enable the most in need families of displaced people and the host communities in a number of Syrian governorates to support agricultural activities and support the livestock sector. The project is being implemented in cooperation with Ihsan Relief and Development.

The project consists of two main sections. The first is to support the agricultural activities in the western Aleppo countryside and the Qalqat al-Mideq area in Hama governorate. The second section is to support the livestock sector in Daraa governorate and in the A’azaz area in the northern Aleppo countryside.

The section of supporting agricultural activities, is based on two stages: the first was the support of 3390 resident families and 3,390 displaced families through the distribution of sufficient seeds for the cultivation of 3.5 dunums of summer vegetables (tomato – pepper – eggplant – cucumber). 0.5 Donum (home gardens for displaced families). A ​​relationship is established between the beneficiaries and the displaced by giving preference to the host population who agree to give 0.5 dunums of their land to a displaced family free of charge for planting them as a garden for the summer vegetables to be cultivated. The project team provides balanced fertilizers (NPK), agricultural pesticides and a fuel to support supplemental irrigation of 60 liters per beneficiary.

The second stage of supporting agricultural activities in the project: IhsanRD is providing sufficient seeds to plant 5 dunums per beneficiary at a rate of 25 kg per dunum to 3390 beneficiaries, distributed according to the importance of the wheat crop in each area, availability of areas, population, availability of natural resources. The beneficiaries are supported by NPK compound fertilizer at a rate of 15 kg per dunum to meet the wheat crop needs throughout its biological stages. As well as the provision of agricultural pesticides and the distribution of fuel vouchers to support supplementary irrigation for resident and displaced families. Courses will also be held, including technical training for the target farmers, to increase their knowledge skills on the best agricultural practices for growing vegetable crops, in line with basic agricultural practices.

The second section of the project supports livestock in two activities: The first is the distribution of 4020 sheep with fodder for three months, and 2010 families will benefit of this activity where each family gets two sheep heads. The distribution will be carried out in A’azaz and Daraa areas, with securing vaccines for sheeps.

The second activity is to provide 100 dairy cows with fodder for two consecutive months for 100 beneficiary families in the mentioned areas.

The necessary medicines and vaccines will be provided and the veterinary supervision of these cows for six months, during this period, a portion of milk (5 kg) of each cow will be taken daily and distributed to 100 displaced families in the same targeted areas.

Dr. Mustafa, a project manager at IhsanRD, expressed the importance of this project by saying: ” The need for Syrians is no longer limited to the demand for sustenance through the monthly food basket, but the need to feel their ability to produce has motivated them to withstand the harsh conditions they face. This project, which is being funded by King Salman Humanitarian Aid And Relief Centre, is a very important step in the right direction towards empowering people with the ability to secure their daily lives and live in dignity.”

Bread is an essential food for people in general and for the Syrians in particular. Perhaps Syrians are the most people who appreciate and feel the grace of bread, so that if a Syrian saw a piece of bread lying on the ground he would hasten to take it and wipe the dust out of it then put it aside in a high place where no foot trample this piece of bread. Today, the blessing of bread has become a hard to reach for many in Syria, after the years of war have exhausted the infrastructure and caused most of the food facilities and bakeries being out of service because of shelling, especially in areas that came out of control of the Syrian regime.

Abu Rami, a resident of Idlib province in northern Syria, have to cross more than 15 kilometers every day to secure a bread bag for his family. He expressed the magnitude of the difficulties he faces: “Sometimes I take the distance on foot. It’s true that it’s exhausted but I do not always have the fare”. then Abu Rami continued: “I used to bring bread from the bakery in my town, but it has been out of service because of the damage from the shelling for more than four years,” he said.

In an effort to enhance food security and support the livelihoods of the most people in need in Syria, Ihsan Relief and Development, in cooperation with WHH, is implementing a number of rehabilitation projects for bakeries in the north of Syria funded by the German Foreign Office. IhsanRD team in Idleb Governorate is still working on rehabilitating and equipping the mechanized bakery in Mehemble, which provides service to 11 towns in Ariha area by rehabilitating and repairing the damaged machines and renovating the building. This will contribute to the provision of bread to more than 20,000 residents of the area with a production card up to 5.5 tons of bread per day.

It is worth mentioning that IhsanRD has so far rehabilitated 4 automatic bakeries in the towns of Mehemble and Kafranbal in the province of Idlib and the towns of Rastan and Talbisa in the province of Homs.