Qatar Charity (QC), in partnership with the Sham Humanitarian Foundation, has launched a development project to train 540 women and men and connect them with employment and entrepreneurship opportunities across four cities in northwestern Syria. With a total budget exceeding $1mn, the project priorities the most vulnerable groups, particularly women, returnees and persons with disabilities.
The project, titled “From Training to Empowerment: Towards a Sustainable Career”, responds to the impact of years of conflict on livelihoods. More than 75% of people in the targeted areas live below the poverty line, while youth unemployment exceeds 75%, according to a field needs assessment involving 283 people from different segments of the local community.
The project is being implemented in Aleppo, Idlib, Jisr al-Shughur and Al-Amal City in Suran. It offers a package of vocational, technical and digital training courses tailored to local market needs.
The programmes cover women’s tailoring; candle making and resin crafts; the installation and maintenance of solar energy and surveillance systems; mobile phone and computer maintenance; and website design, digital marketing and graphic design.
The courses run for six to ten weeks and are delivered through four vocational and technical centres being equipped to meet safety and accessibility standards.
Under the entrepreneurship pathway, 250 participants receive specialised training in establishing and managing small businesses, followed by grants averaging $1,500 per participant to launch their ventures, in addition to three months of commercial rent support.
A further 250 participants benefit from the employment pathway, which connects them directly with job opportunities at approximately 85 private-sector workshops and companies. They also receive a monthly allowance for three months to help them settle into their new roles.
To strengthen graduates’ market presence, the project will organise four promotional exhibitions, one in each target area where participants can showcase their products and services and connect directly with customers and the local business community..
Mohammed al-Jaradi, project officer at Qatar Charity’s Türkiye office, said: “Syria is entering a different phase. The need is no longer limited to emergency relief; it now extends to building people’s capabilities and enabling them to become self-reliant.”