The “Gheras” Association empowers women breadwinners to enter labor market

The “Gheras” Association seeks to raise the cultural, educational, economic, professional and social standards of the society’s segments to secure decent livelihoods for them and invest in their capabilities and skills to achieve sustainable development, according to the deputy chairman of the association’s Board of Directors, Mrs. Sahar Jibril.

Mrs. Jibril told Syria Times e-newspaper that the association holds courses for students at its educational centers in Jdaydet Artouz and Harasta districts in Damascus countryside and the number of the beneficiaries of these courses hit 700 last year.

Moreover, the association holds literacy courses for women, and the number of beneficiaries of these courses at the first and second levels reached approximately 100 women during 2023.

“The association also organized last year a summer club for 150 children for entertainment and for developing their skills,” Mrs. Jibril added.

She pointed out that the association distributes monthly salaries to orphans, poor families, students and women breadwinners, and it launches campaigns during Ramadan month.

“We distribute Ramadan baskets and we prepare Iftar meals for fasting people and distribute clothes during Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha,” she added.

In the field of health, Mrs. Jibril clarified that the association provides health services through its family health center in the city of Harasta in the Damascus countryside, which includes clinics for women and children, laboratory, pharmacy, and psychological treatment.

She indicates that the association has 7 mobile medical teams, which operates in more than 30 areas in Damascus and Quneitra countryside, and it holds awareness courses on diseases and psychological treatment.

Furthermore, Mrs. Jibril added that the association holds several vocational courses in the fields of sewing, hairdressing, making accessories, perfume and detergents, and crochet to empower the beneficiaries, whose number reached over 300 women from the start of 2023 to date through providing them with the required skills to enter the labor market and to depend on themselves.

She went on to say that the association supports micro-development projects by providing beneficiaries with “sewing machine, hairdressing tools, and a carpentry kit” according to the available capabilities to enable them to start their own projects.

“We also create job opportunities for women who support themselves from their own works within our kitchen, which offers various types of dishes, sweets, and pasta. Our goal is to turn those women from beneficiaries into producers,” Mrs. Jibril concluded.

Recently, the association held “Carage Sale” Bazaar in Mazzeh area in Damascus.

By: Basma Qaddour