Many thanks for your support, which meant we were able to complete the project successfully.You can see the impact of the donations for yourself in the video which has been produced. In the introduction you can find the video for the project.
Psychosocial support for children and single mothers in northwest Syria
Project SummaryMost people in northwest Syria, especially children, are suffering from the indescribable trauma of the earthquake. Thanks to this project, 600 children will be able to participate in summer activities and psychosocial care. In addition, we are offering 30 single women the opportunity of handicraft training.
The earthquake in February 2023 left 4,500 people dead and over 10,000 injured in Northwest Syria (NWS). 43% of the injured were women and girls, 20% were children aged 5-14. Most people, especially children, are suffering from the indescribable trauma they experienced as a result of the earthquake. However, the earthquake is "only" the latest dramatic event they have experienced since the 13-year war. Many children have never experienced what it is like to live without constant fear of bombs and violence in a socially somewhat intact environment under acceptable humanitarian conditions. Psychological support for these children, who are often severely traumatised several times over, is almost non-existent. They are dependent on developing their own coping strategies, which are often destructive (e.g. child labour, child marriage, etc). The earthquakes have massively worsened the situation, especially for single mothers. Many of them have lost their jobs or never had access to vocational training in the past due to the war.
Although the school system does not function properly on various levels, it does offer the children minimal structures that can create some stability in everyday life. With the start of the summer holidays in mid-May, this support is now also falling away. Therefore, it is urgently necessary to offer the children psychosocial support, be it in the form of learning activities, games or excursions into nature. Thanks to this project, about 600 children living in particularly difficult conditions will have the opportunity to participate in various activities and receive psychosocial care for about 2 months. This should improve the general well-being and psychological health of the children. Some of the children we will include in this project come from vulnerable households headed by single women. For several years, we have been offering training programmes to single women, where they can learn e.g. handicraft skills. Within the framework of this project, 30 more women are to be guaranteed access to these training programmes.
The Kids Paradise team will begin to set up rooms in various community centres in a child-friendly way to give approximately 250 children (including 50 children from households headed by single women) a safe and secure environment in which to learn, play, do crafts and develop. The children are looked after by two trained persons. Another 350 children will be reached in refugee camps by a mobile team. Parallel to the activities with the children, we will offer 30 single women the opportunity to participate in a short handicraft training. During two months, they can learn to make small items such as toys, kitchen utensils, soaps, etc. The resulting products, such as knitwear, will be made in the camps. The resulting products, such as knitted and crocheted items, soaps, etc., are sold. The proceeds help the women to generate their own income step by step and to become financially independent in the long term. In addition, they are supported financially in the beginning to cover the most important living costs until the products can be sold.
Kids Paradise (KP) is an NGO run by a group of humanitarian activists. Originally founded by Syrian volunteers in March 2012, KP has now grown into an officially registered NGO in Turkey. Our head office is in Ankara Turkey and the operations office in Gaziantep with many camps and field offices in northwest Syria and Turkey. Before the earthquake, our operations office was in Antakya, but this was completely destroyed by the earthquake. Since 2018, the association Kids Paradise Switzerland, led by Simone Jeger, has been supporting Kids Paradise in fundraising.
A ray of hope in northwest Syria: Empowerment for mothers and children
Through your generous support, we have reached 622 children and 30 single mothers in Northwest Syria. Find out how your help has changed the lives of these families.
Thanks to your help and the generous donation from Galenica and the extension of donations by the American organization Refugee Protection International (RPI), we were able to strengthen a total of 622 children through psychosocial care and provide 30 single mothers with manual skills between July and October 2023.
Many different activities were carried out with the children to help them cope with life's challenges and experience joy. Many of them were able to express their grief and aggression through creative and playful approaches. In addition, some children with severe trauma were identified and received specialized medical care.
Fundraiser goal achieved after just a few weeks!
We would especially like to thank the company Galenica and its employees for their huge contribution! Of course, a heartfelt thank you is also due to the other generous donors.
The Kids Paradise team is now in the process of setting up rooms and the garden in the 'Lighthouse Castle' for the care of the children. The Lighthouse Castle is a castle-like house that Kids Paradise built a few years ago for a similar project. Other rooms will be made child-friendly in a community centre in the village of Deir Hassan. For this, some furniture and other objects still have to be bought or collected. After that, the activities with the children will begin. They will be divided into groups of 15-20 children within the different centres and will receive 4-6 psychosocial and/or psychotherapeutic sessions. As the donations exceed the original budget, we are able to hire additional therapists and thus offer more in-depth psychotherapy. In addition, children suffering from particularly severe trauma are referred to clinical institutions for further assessment and treatment.
Handicraft training for the single women is also provided at the community centre in Deir Hassan. First, 30 women are selected for the training, the room is set up and tools and raw materials are bought. One week later, the training can begin.
Anonymous
50,00 CHF
Anonymous
50,00 CHF
Torsten Stahl
50,00 CHF
Anonymous
50,00 CHF
Galenica AG
6'450,00 CHF
Kinder- und Jugendförderung KJFB
300,00 CHF
Vermittelt durch Swisscom
165,00 CHF
Togni Piergiorgio
150,00 CHF
Anicia Zeberli
150,00 CHF
UMB AG
UMB AG
Currently, there are still no project partners if you are interested, please contact us via info@there-for-you.com.
Status of the project
9'365,00 CHF
8'400,00 CHF
We will send the donation receipt (for Switzerland) in January of the following year.
Children who have experienced traumatic events such as war or natural disasters are at increased risk for long-term mental health problems. Without adequate psychosocial support, these traumas can manifest and lead to mental disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and behavioural problems. Early intervention and support by qualified professionals can help mitigate or prevent these long-term effects. As part of the Kids Paradise project, 30 women are also receiving training that will enable them to maintain a constant source of income in the long term.
