ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
Aswat Faeela (Active Voices) is a regional youth development project co-funded by the European Commission and the British Council. It was implemented from January 2016 to June 2018 through International Alert, Search for Common Ground and other local organisations.
Aswat Faeela has built a network of 21 self-sustained Syrian youth community groups in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands. These groups share a common set of values emphasising rights-based and do no harm approaches, as well as embracing ownership, diversity, inclusiveness and valuing differences. 589 Syrian youth within these groups have been engaged in community-based research, advocacy and social action projects to address challenges in economic recovery, social cohesion and peacebuilding at grass root level in their communities. They now have agency, voices and a new set of skills to be active in their communities.
They became activists and are engaged. They are empowered and feel they can transform challenges into opportunities and find their own solutions. They have networks (intra-youth and with the wider community stakeholders), mentors and role models. They have engaged with 8,000 Syrian youth in their communities and described themselves as being ‘empowered’, ‘peace enablers’, ‘the only alternative to violence’ and ‘the remedy for shared community concerns.’ Their newly acquired values, skills and knowledge will allow them to take an active role and shape the future of their country.
OUR STORIES
Read more about the inspiring stories of these young leaders who are working together to make their voices heard.
