Through 11 development centers and 87 units for rural industries distributed in the governorates, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor is working to achieve sustainable development in the social, economic, health and cultural fields that contribute to the development of the Syrian countryside.
The number of beneficiaries of the services of development centers and rural industrial units reached 98,615 last year. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has developed programs to activate the role of these centers and units in order to achieve community development through the application of a methodology that focuses on training, rehabilitation and support for small projects.
Empowerment and training programs are being developed in the centers according to the needs of the target region and the resources in partnership with various public and private sector bodies and international organizations.
The total number of rural development centers is 29, some of which have been sabotaged due to terrorism, 11 of them have been rehabilitated, and they are now implementing programs for the development of the Syrian countryside, along with health, educational and cultural services. Work is underway to rehabilitate the rest of the centers and gradually open others.
So far, a number of centers succeeded in supporting and developing the capabilities of the local community in a qualitative manner. Certain centers are providing permanent job opportunities for about 225 women within the projects of carpet, sewing, knitting, dairy, cheese and mushroom production in cooperation with a number of NGOs.