How Syrian women grew their businesses in the middle of COVID

Working against tremendous odds, CARE teams are supporting Syrian women, thanks to a partnership with the Syrian Resilience Consortium, and Humanity & Inclusion. The Promoting Economic Resilience of Syrian Women (PERSERVERE) project is reaching 133,955 people (72,052 women) with $7 million in funding from Global Affairs Canada, helping fund businesses and promote equality.

The stories from program participants are an inspiration.

“I have learned so much,” says Amira*, who received a $3,000 grant and some business training that she used to set up her own sewing workshop. “We finally live in a nice apartment, and I can pay for my children’s school and medical bills.” In addition, Amira has been able to hire four other women to join her small, growing business. 

This is the power of supporting women to take charge and lead in their own lives, and in their communities. They find ways not just to improve their own conditions, but to stand up for others. 

Women can’t do it alone; men make a difference, too. 

“I feel more confident about advocating for equal rights and am more interested in justice issues,” says Mohammed. “I hope that the concept of inclusion will become more of a reality in our society so everyone can live in peace, security, and stability.”

The program began in 2018 and runs through this year. 

What has changed?

• Syrians are changing their attitudes. 79% support equality regardless of gender, age, and disability—a 29% increase since 2018.
• Women are earning more money. Women’s income more than doubled, from $80 to $164 for women who got training. 80% of women are contributing more to the family income.
• Women-owned businesses are thriving. There was a 33% increase in women who say their businesses are functioning well, even with all the restrictions from COVID-19. 75% of women feel that they have stronger business skills with the project.
• Women are more involved with decisions. 86% of women say they are participating equally in decisions at home, more than 3 times the numbers when the project started. It’s not just at home—18% of women are participating in community decisions, when zero were at the start of the project.
• People are safer. 98% of people are reporting safe behaviors to avoid hazards in their communities, from explosive devices from the conflict to protecting themselves of COVID-19.

How did it happen?

• Support women-led businesses. The project helped 299 women complete online training courses, gave grants of $3,000 each to 46 women-led businesses, and trained 24 trainers who could support women-led businesses.
• Focus on safety. The project provided training to 55,935 people about the dangers of explosive devices. When COVID-19 struck, they also started adding training on COVID-19 safety.
• Embrace local leadership. The project worked with Inclusion Ambassadors, where people with disabilities and their allies created a cadre of local advocates to raise awareness with community members, local organizations, and local authorities.
• Raise awareness. The project trained 3,028 community members on gender, age, and disability, plus issues of equity and inclusion.

Want to learn more?

Check out the project’s annual report:

*Name has been changed to protect privacy.