In response to the challenging economic and social conditions arising from conflicts and natural disasters, the International Islamic Charity Organization (IICO) persists in its humanitarian and developmental initiatives as a key contributor to improving the lives of the most vulnerable groups in impoverished and affected communities. This is grounded in the philosophy of "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime".

In partnership with the Kareemat Organization, the IICO has successfully continued its economic empowerment projects by launching the "Shaghaf Kareemat-Sustainability" Project, marking a significant change for 300 Syrian refugee families by empowering women in professional sectors that promote their economic and social independence.

Following an in-depth analysis of the requirements, the project aimed to create genuine employment opportunities for Syrian refugee women, with the goal of helping them attain self-sufficiency and enhance their quality of life. This included offering training for women in areas such as dairy product production, mobile phone repair, and resin manufacturing.

Furthermore, the project aimed to train 88 Syrian women over a period of several months, featuring diverse training programs such as a rigorous 4-month course in resin production, 5-month courses in mobile phone repair and dairy product creation, along with a one-month instruction in management and marketing, equipping them with essential skills to oversee their future enterprises.

In addition, the project aimed to give Syrian women a platform for marketing and displaying their goods online, as well as the raw materials they needed to start their own businesses and the direct supervision they needed to make sure their businesses were successful.

Moreover, 70 women from families with low incomes (including widows, divorcees, and women married to men who were unable to work because of their disabilities or war injuries) got projects that provided them with a consistent income, enabling them to move from poverty to economic independence and improve their standard of living. This clearly had a positive effect on the beneficiaries' lives.

The project's empowerment of women in the professional market reduces social and economic tensions within the family because women are more capable to support their children's education, which significantly improves the educational prospects for future generations. They are also better able to secure their own and their families' needs. Therefore, the project's advantages extend beyond its financial component and enhance social and familial stability.

Furthermore, the "Shaghaf Kareema" Project stands out for its high sustainability due to its obviously beneficial effects on its beneficiaries and the community in general. The project not only empowers women financially, but it also boosts their self-esteem and psychological well-being by enabling them to set themselves free from economic dependence.

Support of the Community and the Future

The project showed that empowering women involves more than just giving them employment options; it also supports local communities more broadly. Syrian women become more involved in society when they are trained for new professions, which increases the market's supply of qualified employees.

Several women who faced challenges in life and succeeded have shared their inspiring success stories through this project. Other women are inspired by these experiences and are encouraged to think about becoming independent and sustainable, which helps the community as a whole develop sustainably.

Moreover, the project is a real-life example of how to empower Syrian refugee women in Turkey through providing them the opportunities and support they need to improve their own and their families' futures. The Kareemat Organization continues to give hundreds of Syrian women hope and the opportunity to create a sustainable and dignified life with the help of the IICO.

Empowering mothers to keep on with their training without having to worry about their kids

The children of 88 trainees received particular care as part of the "Shaghaf Kareema-Sustainability" project. This was an essential phase in helping them develop their skills in a secure and engaging learning environment. A section was set up for them, complete with the stationery and educational resources needed to create the perfect learning environment for the project beneficiaries' children.

With activities that encourage the growth of their mental and intellectual capacities, this area seeks to enable mothers to continue their training without worrying about their kids so they may take advantage of the educational and recreational resources available.

The educational activities carried out in the children's area included a range of activities that help in the growth of the children's language and cognitive skills such as learning both Arabic and Turkish alphabet, applying dictation exercises to verify that children have memorized it. This also included teaching the days of the week and months of the year in both Arabic and Turkish; continuing the memorization of " Juz'u 'Amma " from the Holy Quran (Al-Kawthar, Al-Ma'un, Al-Quraish, Al-Fil); and teaching them a set of hadiths.

Furthermore, the children's program included practical activities that promoted essential life values, like educating children about the value of eating a nutritious meal, encouraging them to draw freely to express their creativity and develop their artistic abilities. As well as encouraging the idea of cleanliness through various activities, and using the children's thumbprints to decorate the classroom with an artwork in the shape of a heart that encourages a spirit of cooperation and teamwork among them.

The IICO's commitment to assisting and encouraging the next generation to be a thoughtful, productive, and active generation in society is reflected in these varying activities, which are based on educational and pedagogical principles. This in turn helps provide an inclusive learning environment that nurtures children's talents and improves their life skills in addition to providing care for children in a safe and supportive environment.