Empowering Syrian Civil Society

The Center for Civil Society and Democracy (CCSD) has successfully completed the third year of its flagship initiative, the Civil Society Empowerment Program. This year, CCSD and its strategic partners collaborated with 50 local organizations, 25 in the northeast of Syria and 25 in the northwest, to strengthen community leadership and resilience.

Ten organizations reached a major milestone this year, completing the full three-year program. Throughout their journey, they received intensive capacity-building training, one-on-one mentoring, and funding to design and implement locally led interventions.

In 2025, these interventions focused on improving water access, rebuilding schools, creating safe public spaces for children and youth while developing sports competitions to foster collaboration, advancing disability inclusion, supporting women’s economic participation, and promoting cultural and social collaboration. These initiatives didn’t just transform physical spaces—they profoundly improved community well-being. As one young participant shared: “For the first time, we feel the youth have a place of our own. The stadium has become our shared home.”

Behind every achievement was CCSD’s commitment to community mobilization, consistent mentoring, field follow-ups, and hands-on support, ensuring that each partner organization could turn local vision into lasting impact.

Overview of Projects
A Future Built From Within:

Across Northeast and Northwest Syria, CSOs implemented interventions shaped directly by community needs. Their work shows how locally led projects can produce lasting and meaningful impact. Here are several highlights from this quarter:

Restoring Critical Services

• Drinking water access improved through the installation of filtration systems, water tanks, electric pumps, and repairs to rural water networks.
• Irrigation infrastructure was strengthened through community-managed water sub-distributors, supporting thousands of farmers.

Empowering Women and Youth

• Women gained new livelihood opportunities through training in soap and detergent production, marketing, and small business skills.
• Youth were trained in graphic design, short-form content creation, journalism, and community engagement skills that many have already begun to share with their peers.

Building Social Cohesion and Preserving Heritage

• Public parks, sports fields, and recreational areas were rehabilitated to create inclusive spaces for families, women, youth, and older residents.
• Communities collaborated to document cultural heritage, produce multilingual films, and celebrate local history through murals and exhibitions.

Supporting Persons with Disabilities

• Schools and public facilities were made more accessible through ramps, adapted bathrooms, and mobility aids including wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches.
• Awareness sessions with parents and educators increased understanding of inclusive education and disability rights.

Lessons Learned
Across all projects, one theme stood out: community involvement is the key to sustainability. CSOs reflect that projects succeed best when the community sees itself in the work it's doing; when volunteers help build playgrounds, when parents join school committees, and when youth step into leadership roles. Partners recognized the need for backup plans to address obstacles such as electricity shortages or equipment delays. Mentorship and regular follow up helped the teams progress quickly through their goals.

Next Steps
As the program transitions into its next phase, CCSD is working with partners to finalize documentation, refine planning tools, and strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems. The coming months will introduce new training cycles, and stronger coordination across regions. With increased confidence, strengthened networks, and clear community demand, Syrian CSOs are preparing to expand their locally driven initiatives continuing to build stability, dignity, and opportunity from the ground up.

Links:

• CCSD Website

Amid ongoing uncertainty, hope continues to grow inside Syria. The Center for Civil Society and Democracy (CCSD) is working hand-in-hand with 50 local partners who are spearheading innovative initiatives to address urgent needs, enhance their communities, and lay the groundwork for a future founded on justice, dignity, and resilience.

New Local Initiatives: Led by Syrians, for Syrians

Since early 2025, in addition to attending training workshops and participating in dialogue forums, our partners have launched several new community-led efforts tailored to local needs. These initiatives reflect Syrians' deep commitment to providing for the most vulnerable in their communities and developing systems for systemic change. These grassroots projects are already having a ripple effect, providing not just services but hope, purpose, and connection. 

Here are a few highlights:

• Safety and Health in Afrin Countryside: 50 solar streetlights are being installed, 27 home water filters are being distributed, and awareness sessions are being held on clean water and public safety.
• Creating Inclusive Public Spaces: 150 trees are being planted, 100 streetlights are being installed, and local engineers are collaborating with the community to enhance public areas' accessibility for people with disabilities.
• Youth for Justice and Community Peace: 15 young people are being trained in transitional justice and community advocacy. Together, they've launched five campaigns to promote peace and accountability.
• Digital Storytellers for Peace: 28 young women and men creating digital content that highlights local issues through a lens of gender and conflict sensitivity. They are also receiving training in graphic design, content creation, and media ethics. 
• Preserving Cultural Heritage: A rich archive of intangible cultural heritage is being built, including 20 multimedia pieces and three short videos. Five murals are also underway, celebrating the cultural diversity of all ethnic and religious communities.

These initiatives were born from the ideas and energy of the three cohorts of civil society partners, welcomed in December 2024 as part of the Empowering Civil Society Organizations Program. One participant at a workshop on how to develop lasting peacebuilding projects said:

"I realized that community awareness is a key factor in sustaining work and achieving long-term impact. Furthermore, collaboration between civil society and an aware local community can influence governance and public policies through effective advocacy and coalitions." 

Your Support in Action

Since your support began through GlobalGiving, here's what you've made possible:

• Launch and support of 50 locally-led initiatives across
• Direct services reaching Syrians, including vulnerable populations of youth, women, and persons with disabilities
• Capacity-building for over 100 local leaders and 50 organizations

The Road Ahead

In the face of ongoing instability, Syrians continue to respond with creativity and courage. Amidst turmoil and uncertainty, Syrians are charting new paths forward—often with few resources but great determination.

Your support makes this work possible. It sends a message of solidarity and opens space for new beginnings. Thank you for being a vital part of this journey.

Together, we are transforming local action into lasting change.

Links:

• CCSD Website