Starting on 1 February 2022 and continuing throughout the year, Un Ponte Per through its project 'Hiwar: Dialogue for a new social contract' is launching a new capacity building intervention on dialogue dedicated to local civil society organisations. In 9 Iraqi governorates - Duhok, Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Nineveh, Anbar, Salah Al-Din, Thi-Qar, Missan and Basra - meetings, courses and training on methodologies suitable for project design and implementation will be organised.
The aim is that by the end of the year 35 local civil society organisations will have the means, skills and good practices to build, manage and report on project actions independently, but also develop the capacity to build networks and dialogue among themselves. In particular, training will be geared towards the objectives the organisations wish to set themselves in the social, economic and environmental fields. Training subjects will also include advocacy, network building and financial management to ensure sustainability, autonomy and governance on the part of local organisations for the projects they wish to implement. Among the final objectives of the intervention will also be the creation of a micro-blogging network that will become a space for work and shared exchange between the various organisations on issues of dialogue and the exchange of good practices, so as to make the intervention lasting in the long term.
Supporting local organisations and activistə irachenə - so that they themselves can be protagonists of change - is the child of a decolonial approach to international cooperation that Un Ponte Per has embraced since its inception. An approach that places at the centre of solidarity actions complementarity and subsidiarity with local organisations. A method, this, that animates all Un Ponte Per's project actions. Thanks to 'Hiwar' about 360 members of local organisations will be reached, involving about 700 people (of whom at least 30% women and 20% young people) in dialogue initiatives, as well as 140 representatives of local authorities. There will also be a micro-grant programme at the end of the trainings. The intervention is funded by UNDP and the European Union.
Un Ponte Per has been working on the Syrian-Iraqi border since the beginning of the Syrian crisis in 2011, welcoming and guiding people fleeing the conflict, distributing basic necessities, and then structuring its intervention into a multi-yearMental Health Psyco-Social Support Programme aimed at Syrian refugees in refugee camps in the Erbil and Dohuk areas since the end of 2012.
With a team of psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers, and in close cooperation with the regional government's Department of Mental Health, we work on post-traumatic stress management through individual sessions, group sessions, play therapy for children, and resilience groups. Resilience' is in fact the ability of individuals and communities to react to the violence they have suffered, trying to prevent the onset of severe traumatic symptoms.
As of 2019, activities focused on refugee camps in Erbil Governorate with the aim of improving the mental health conditions and psychosocial vulnerability of Syrian refugees in the area and training the staff of the Directorate of Health (DoH).
During 2021, the UNHCR-funded project Strengthening the provision of MHPSS assistance to Syrian Refugees in the Erbil Governorate aimed to improve the mental health and psychosocial vulnerability of refugees by continuing to strengthen services offered in urban areas to refugees of all nationalities. During the 12 months, 1,950 people accessed psychiatric support sessions, including free distribution of medication; 1,602 people accessed psychosocial support sessions including family support sessions; 11,132 people were involved in support groups, psycho-education, psychosocial activities; 5,381 people participated in workshops and were visited house to house by community workers.
The training component of the project included trainings for school teachers in the camps, trained in children's emotional learning and adaptive learning environments, community volunteers, trained in problem management counselling techniques, and officials from the Directorate of Health on topics related to the handover of clinical services.
Starting in 2022 and for the next five years (until 2026), Un Ponte Per through the project 'Women for Democracy', funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, initiates a new long-term intervention aimed at supporting Iraqi women, who are still victims of stereotypes and oppressive social norms. The intervention also includes a phase of discussion and exchange with women activists who are members of women's organisations and feminists committed to women's rights in Sudan.
The project, implemented in partnership with the Information Centre for Research and Development (ICRD), aims to support women in their path of participation and protagonism in all phases of the reconstruction of state institutions and, more generally, of a pacified social context, so that they have a greater and decisive influence in dictating the political agenda, in democratic practices and in decision-making processes.
The programme aims to provide - young women, formal and informal grassroots women's groups, activists - with the long-term tools to become real agents of change, through meetings, leadership workshops, trainings, networking, capacity building plans, public campaigns and artistic initiatives. Another goal is to improve the quantity and inclusiveness of Safe Spaces, making them safe and welcoming for all Iraqi women, girls and children.
Thanks to the support of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was possible to launch with partner Doz in Raqqa four 4 courses (life-skills, integrated recreational activities, awareness-raising on protection and empowerment issues) for women and girls, as well as activities for childrenə and boysə involving over 600 people. On the occasion of the '16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence', awareness-raising material was distributed and five radio episodes were conducted in cooperation with a local radio station, Radio Bissan, covering the areas of Raqqa, Tabqa and Deir ezZor. The topics covered were women's rights, domestic violence, economic violence, girls' education, breastfeeding. Protection activities also complemented intervention in the Primary Health sector. UPP, in cooperation with its local partner, the Kurdish Red Crescent (KRC), continued to offer psychosocial support services to adults and childrenə in the "Al Hilal" hospital in Raqqa, in the Primary Health Care Centres in Mabadeh, Manbij and in Washokani camp.
KRC operatorsə conducted weekly psycho-education group sessions with women and girls, and more recreational-themed sessions with boys and girls. Among the topics covered were stress management, parent-child relationshipsə, positive coping mechanisms, resilience, postnatal wellbeing and the consequences of trauma on childrenə. In addition, specialised psycho-social support workers continued to support the Community Health Workers during the Covid-19 awareness sessions. After receiving the necessary training from the UPP technical team, psycho-social support experts started group Problem Management Plus sessions in August 2021, in line with the guidelines developed by the WHO. A total of 8,310 women, men, childrenə were involved in 2021 and benefited from the psychosocial support services offered by KRC staff.
Starting in September 2021 and running until March 2023, Un Ponte Per through its project "Amn al Insani - Towards the priority of human security", financed by the Eight per Thousand of the Catholic Church - CEI, is launching a new intervention aimed at the human and food security of the poorest Lebanese population in the Mount Lebanon area. With the economic and social crisis that has been strangling the country for years, many people who are unable to emigrate abroad have chosen to return to agricultural work in the countryside.
The strategy of the intervention is to provide people living in or returning to rural areas with the skills and means to develop their livelihoods independently and achieve full food security. Through this project, training and awareness-raising sessions will be organised in the Mount Lebanon area targeting farmers, potential ownersə of small agribusinesses, local cooperatives and the community at large. A total of about 200 households will be reached. Capacity building workshops will focus on the different skills required to run a small business: planning, time management, entrepreneurship, food safety techniques, financial management, and any other skills relevant to running a sustainable business. Micro-grants will also be awarded to start agro-entrepreneurial activities in the Aley and Chouf districts, enabling suitably trained people to start micro-businesses. To this end, roundtables will be held with local agri-business owners and cooperatives to identify their needs, the challenges they are facing and to disseminate good practices. Special attention will be given to the involvement of women and youth in economic activities and processes related to food security. Project partner is the Permanent Peace Movement, an organisation that has been active for more than 30 years in promoting peace in Lebanon and throughout the region.
Starting in January 2021, and running until September 2022, Un Ponte Per through the 'Regakan' project, funded by CEI - Italian Episcopal Conference, is launching a new intervention in Northern Iraq, aimed at fostering the economic development and job placement of young Iraqis in the eco-sustainable tourism sector.
The project, implemented in partnership with the Deir Maryam al-Adhra Monastery and the former Tobacco Factory - now redeveloped into a 'Culture Factory' - aims to set up a widespread hospitality network in the governorate of Suleymania, promoting access, rehabilitation and securing of sites of special cultural and environmental interest, as well as the creation of itineraries and guided tours. The intervention aims to promote employment development for the local population through specific training and internships in emerging sectors (ecotourism, humanitarian sector, languages, new technologies).
The planned training is aimed at young graduates in the tourism sector, at the end of which the start-up of 8 small local start-ups, specialised in accommodation, catering and handicrafts, will be subsidised in order to create a welcoming and widespread hospitality network. In cooperation with the local authorities, more than 150 local young people will be involved.
Since 2018, one year after the liberation of Mosul from Daesh control, Un Ponte Per has set itself the goal of supporting communities in the Nineveh Governorate by providing psychosocial support, mental health and reproductive health services for women. Thus was born 'Salamtak' (Your Health), thanks to the support of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), now in its 4th phase.
During Phase IV, access to reproductive and maternal and child health services will continue to be improved for communities in the Governorate. The activities will be concentrated in the Bashiqa Health Centre and in the primary health centres of Hermat (west Mosul) and Hammam Al Alil (south Mosul) where a new 24/7 maternal and child health unit will be activated with 4 doctors and 4 midwives and an ambulance service always operational for obstetric and neonatal emergencies. Mental health and psychological support services will be offered in the Bashiqa Centre and the Hermat Primary Health Centre, with psychologists employed to conduct individual and group sessions with local people.
In the Al Hurok hospital (west Mosul), on the other hand, two emergency rooms (one for women and one for men) will be set up dedicated to burns, another plague afflicting the local population due to the numerous unexploded ordnance and mines. In order to contribute to the prevention of communicable diseases, awareness sessions will be organised in schools in the communities around the health facilities concerned. More than 8,000 people will benefit from the health services, while 83 medical and paramedical staff members will be directly involved in training and capacity building activities. Finally, the Batol and Al Jumhori hospitals, both in West Mosul, will see a rehabilitation of their water facilities to reduce the risks of wastewater disposal, and a new system of proper chemical and medical waste management will be inaugurated.
Phase III of the project supported the presence of medical personnel, psychologists and social workers at 3 health centres in Mosul (Primary Health Care in Hermat in west Mosul, Primary Health Care in Nimrud, Hamdaniya and Ma'an Na'ud centre in Bashiqa, sub-district of Mosul). A new Department of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support of approximately 200 square metres was built and equipped at the Al Salam Teaching Hospital in Mosul, allowing a 277% increase in the number of services offered. During the year, access to reproductive health services was provided to approximately 2,950 women and adolescents between Mosul, Nimrud and Bashiqa, along with 727 children who were able to access paediatric services at the Bashiqa centre. While psychosocial support provided 318 group support sessions and 843 individual counselling sessions.
Phases I and II of the project saw the improvement of primary and secondary health services, to which over 12,000 people had access. More than 3,000 women and girls accessed reproductive health and psychosocial support services, while 1,800 were followed up with individual psychological assistance.
'Darna al Aman' (Our Sheltered Home) was established with the aim of restoring primary health services in Raqqa, a former Daesh stronghold in Syria, to ensure first aid and safe return to the city for families wishing to do so after liberation from Daesh.
Among the main activities of the project - financed by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) first, and by funds from the Otto per mille of the Italian Buddhist Institute Soka Gakkai (IBISG) later, and implemented on site by our partner Doz - is the creation of Safe Spaces for women and girls to counter the increasing gender-based violence (GBV).
Since 2021, two Safe Spaces for boys and girls and one Safe Space for women and girls have been in operation, providing support, advocacy and prevention to combat child gender-based violence.
The second phase of the project (2023 - 2024), supported by Otto per Mille funds from the Italian Buddhist Institute Soka Gakkai, intends to continue supporting the Safe Spaces by providing protection and specialised support to women and children in Raqqa. The aim is not only to ensure continuity of the Safe Spaces, but also to improve them with highly specialised protection services, and to continue to ensure safe transportation to and from the centres, to counter restrictions on the freedom of movement of women and girls. The goal is to reach more than 8,400 people with protection and support services.
From September 2020 until August 2021, Un Ponte Per through the project "InterCommunity: Integration through Education", financed by Otto per Mille of the Waldensian Evangelical Church - Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches, will launch a new intervention to assist and support the Palestinian and Syrian refugee population in camps in Lebanon, by far the poorest, most marginalised and with the least opportunities for redemption.
The intervention is particularly focused on the education and welfare of minors and adolescents: it provides support to the educational centres of the local organisation Beit Aftal Assumoud, a long-standing partner of Un Ponte Per, in the Bourj el Shemali camp (Tyre). Here, non-formal education activities, sports activities, psychosocial support, "theatre of the oppressed", nutritional education and cultural activities are implemented for 130 children at risk of social marginalisation, with the aim of improving the level of psychophysical balance for each of them and creating more opportunities for interaction (and integration) between young Palestinians and Syrians and the host Lebanese community.
The programme also aims to combat school drop-outs through psychological support and sporting and educational activities, which are also geared towards promoting a healthy and balanced lifestyle and proper nutrition.
The second phase of the 'Sawa' (Together) project, a programme launched in Jordan - in the Amman area - for the participation, social inclusion and general improvement of the quality of life of people with disabilities, is underway. The intervention, which started in December 2021, is implemented thanks to the support of the Waldensian Evangelical Church's Eight per Thousand. The beneficiaries belong to the most vulnerable segments of the Syrian and Jordanian refugee community, who will be guaranteed integrated services of rehabilitation, psychosocial support, empowerment and inclusion, with a specific focus on Paralympic sports and Peer Counselling activities.
In the Syrian refugee community, disabilities are often of a severe nature due to war injuries and/or mutilation. There are no specialised integrated physical and psycho-social rehabilitation services in the area.
The project aims to reach the segment of the population that faces the most complex challenges, without discrimination of any kind and with a special focus on young people with disabilities. The intervention will involve approximately 60 women and men between the ages of 15 and 50 and their families (about 250 people in total), who will be involved in Paralympic sports activities such as table tennis, goal ball, basketball and fitness in order to enhance their individual skills.
The sports activities will take place in cooperation with the Jordan Paralympic Committee and will not only strengthen the girls and boys involved on a psycho-social level, but will also have a physical rehabilitation function.
The main components of Peer Counselling are the recovery of a sense of self-sufficiency and the reconstruction of human relationships. Dialogue sessions will focus on issues such as social cohesion, solidarity, respect and tolerance between refugee and host communities.
Through this integrated and holistic approach, it will be possible to intervene on people's sense of marginalisation, to improve their self-esteem through the awareness that they can achieve autonomy despite their limitations and specificities.
