Donors/Partners: The Institute for International Cooperation of the German Adult Education Association (DVV International Armenia Branch)

Implementing Organization: Aleppo-NGO

Project Duration: 2 months (April – June 2015)

Major Goal: To encourage the development of Syrian women’s entrepreneurial skills, promote their economic participation and improve their social conditions.

Description: In April 2015, “Aleppo” Compatriotic Charitable Organization-NGO launched “Felting classes for Syrian women,” a two-month project funded by The Institute for International Cooperation of the German Adult Education Association (DVV International Armenia Branch). Through the project, ten Syrian women acquired theoretical and practical knowledge and skills on felting, equipping them to achieve tangible results both within the project and after it.

The felting classes were implemented at the “Kenats Tun” Art Center. Beyond just teaching felting techniques, the project encouraged the women to develop their entrepreneurial skills and improve their social conditions through economic participation – a critical step in refugee resettlement.

With this short-term project and small investment, the roles and social statuses of at least ten women were improved. The beneficiaries mastered an art that can be easily created from home, does not require substantial financial input, and can result in fairly high output. These skills can serve them for a lifetime, regardless of their future place of residence. A conceptual long-term continuation is to establish an art corner for beneficiary Syrian women to be self-employed for income and deliver classes on felting to other interested people.