Many children in Syria suffer from major disorders, threatening the possibility of healthy and integrated development. The war has been going on for a decade, and in order to address these major challenges in their upbringing, and to advance children; WATAN continues to implement its activities through the project ‘Ahlan Simsim’ for the rehabilitation of caregivers.
It is targeted at the Al-Hassan Al-Basri, Hamza bin Abdul-Muttalib, Al-Qadisiyah Centers. The camps: Siraj, Khan Toman, Habit Al-Khair, and in the villages of Hazra and Deir Hassan, in addition to the cities: Idlib, Harem, and Al-Dana.
This comes with the co-operation with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), where the project aims to enhance interaction and relationship between caregivers and their children. The activities target caregivers of children under the age of eight; with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of the early childhood stage and exchanging experiences with them on the other stages of the child’s subsequent development.
It is noteworthy that the number of beneficiaries of the total activities last November, through face-to-face sessions, or from phone calls, amounted to 270 caregivers, while the number via WhatsApp reached 123. It also benefited 180 children directly, in addition to 497 children indirectly – through WhatsApp groups.
Since the overall launch of its current phase on 1/1/2021 until the end of last November, has targeted: 2, 873 care providers directly, 1,166) indirectly through WhatsApp groups, and 1,720 children directly 5,171 children indirectly by helping their families.
The project is expected to contribute to:
1- Increasing the participation of parents during crises in creating and establishing a supportive, safe, and inclusive early learning environment.
2- Enhancing the normal life of children in times of crisis by alleviating the toxic pressures they suffer from and providing an environment that allows for the healthy and integrated development of children that makes them independent and skilled individuals who contribute to building their societies.