The project directly assists 590 households, which means that approximately 3,540 people benefit from it. The majority of beneficiaries are women and girls, 55% of whom are involved in the programme. The main idea of the project is to help women not only to provide for their basic living needs, but also to become more independent and self-sufficient.

One of the key elements of the programme is the 'Cash for Work' initiative, i.e. paid employment opportunities. Approximately 200 women will be given the opportunity to work on agricultural projects, where they will be paid USD 7.5 for each day they work. These women will work for 20 days, which means they will earn approximately US$150, an amount that will help them cover their families' basic living needs. For women who have been without income for a long time and face a precarious economic situation, this is a significant boost. Due to the limited resources in the project, it is only possible to provide work for one member of the family. However, a clear feedback at the project site was the interest in employing more family members and the possibility of increasing the number of working days. To give you an idea, in the summer months temperatures reach towards 50°C.

Another 390 women will receive packages for dairy production. These packages contain basic tools and equipment for the production of milk, cheese and other dairy products. The aim is to enable the women not only to produce enough food for their families, but also to sell the surplus in local markets, which will provide them with additional income and increase their economic independence. This step is essential not only to improve food security in the area, but also to support the local economy, which has been badly affected by the war.

The war in Syria has been going on for more than a decade and its impact on the economy and the living conditions of the population has been catastrophic. Whereas before the war Syria was a self-sufficient agricultural country, today the situation is reversed, with most people depending on humanitarian aid. In the very area of Syria where the project is taking place, up to 63% of the population is dependent on food aid, and many suffer from malnutrition.

To put this in a Central European context, it should also be noted that the funds that the women raise through work or the sale of produce are used, for example, to buy drinking water, which is in critical short supply in the region and is therefore very expensive and remote. Or to buy basic medicines or desperately inadequate medical care.

The project also envisages long-term sustainability. The women who will be involved in the production of dairy products will undergo training to learn the correct procedures for processing milk and producing the products. In addition, they will meet regularly in groups to exchange experiences and support each other. In this way, the project seeks to ensure that the improvement in living conditions is long-lasting and that the women acquire skills that will serve them well beyond the end of the project.

The project is an example of how, with the help of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a well-targeted humanitarian programme, we can contribute to the reconstruction of war-torn communities. The CZK 5.6 million investment not only helps women and their families to survive difficult times, but also gives them hope for the future, an opportunity to get back on their feet and find at least some sense of stability in a country that lacks basic commodities such as electricity, drinking water, safe food and medical care.