The CSO Empowerment Program
Empowering Syrian Civil Society for Peace, Equality, and Resilience
Program Overview
Knowing the importance and power of local civil society organizations in northern Syria that tirelessly work to support their communities, even without adequate support and capacity, the Center for Civil Society and Democracy in Syria (CCSDS), Center for Civil Society and Democracy in Turkey (CCSDT) and DemoS developed a sustainable empowerment program for those organizations.
The CSO Empowerment Program is a flagship initiative strengthening local civil society organizations (CSOs) across Northeast and Northwest Syria that launched in November of 2022. The three-year program seeks to expand local CSOs’ capacities by providing:
- Tailored training on program design, strategic planning, and sustainable development
- Individualized mentoring sessions
- Mental health and psychosocial support
- Dialogue forums that foster collaboration and formal partnerships (e.g., MOUs)
- Funding to implement locally led initiatives
The program empowers CSOs to address local community needs effectively, build resilience to ongoing humanitarian and social crises, and foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders. By focusing on gender-sensitive and conflict-sensitive approaches, the program equips CSOs to drive impactful, localized interventions and contribute to long-term peace and development in Syria.
“I believe our local intervention has positively impacted the target communities, largely due to the skills and practices we acquired. These skills allowed us to implement projects that better respond to the needs of the communities” – CSO Participant
Recent Highlights
Impact
Al-Ahd Organization – Raqqa
To support women-led small businesses, Al-Ahd provided training in advanced project management, financial tracking, and marketing. Participants received tools and equipment to scale their work—like mills, grinders, and refrigeration. One woman increased her income by 40% after receiving support, expanding her production and reducing food waste through better storage and planning=
Jasmin Association – Raqqa
This initiative trained 30 women in modern agricultural techniques and provided seeds and tools to 10 participants. Women gained skills, boosted household income, and began forming a women’s agricultural cooperative to scale their impact, market their goods, and support other women farmers in the region.
Sada – Atma Camp, NW Syria
Amid worsening economic conditions, Sada supported residents of Atma Camp through vocational training and small business development. Participants received tools and mentorship to restart income-generating work. One woman, trained in pastry-making, reopened her business and now supplies pastries for weddings and local events— reviving her livelihood after losing everything in the earthquake.
Volunteer to Build – NW Syria
To address winter hardship and limited job opportunities for women, this initiative worked with 26 women to create winter clothing from raw wool. The project produced warm garments for 740 people and included psychological support for participants. Many women, including one grieving the loss of a child, found healing, purpose, and income through the work.
Quotes
Reflecting on the training sessions, one of the participants stated, “This is the first time someone has hosted me, asked me about my profession and work, and made me feel that I truly exist and have value.”
After receiving school supplies as part of one of the initiatives, one eight-year-old student said, “I love school more now, and I can clearly see what the teacher writes. This makes studying fun.”
Insights
Through our ongoing work with communities, we’ve identified several critical lessons that continue to inform and strengthen our approach:
- Providing mental health and psychosocial support has not only facilitated individual healing but also encouraged deeper, more consistent participation in our programs.
- Continuously listening to community voices through regular assessments helps ensure our work remains aligned with real, evolving needs—building trust and credibility.
- When communities lead and own the process, initiatives are more sustainable, outcomes are longer-lasting, and local capacity is strengthened.
- Actively including a range of voices helps break down limiting assumptions, reframe challenges, and open up creative, inclusive solutions.
These insights guide our commitment to responsive, community-driven development that is both impactful and enduring.
