Regional Partnerships: Listening, Collaborating, Building
Aleppo, Syria
The groundwork for this partnership began in 2008, when the Aleppo City Council authorized a grassroots study of two very low-income areas of the city. The study used Questscope’s Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) methods to understand community problems, needs, and available resources.
Key findings were: child labor is growing at an alarming rate; 50% of the population is less than 18 years old, straining social support services for children; and only 2% of neighborhood residents have a regular income, with 98% of the population relying on seasonal employment.
Questscope was asked to facilitate planning that involved municipal government, neighborhood residents, NGOs and community groups, and volunteers. The plan they developed focused on how to improve the lives and prospects of dropouts and other at-risk youth in these two neighborhoods of 80,000 people.
This plan is now being implemented, with Questscope helping to build partners’ skills in community planning, non-formal education, mentoring, and other program methods.
Partners:
Municipality of Aleppo, Questscope and its donors, Arab Urban Development Institute, Syrian Society for Social Development, local NGOs, community-based organizations
Northern Iraq
Five years ago, three organizations in Northern Iraq heard of Questscope methods for improving the situation of at-risk youth and came to Jordan to learn Questscope’s methods of mentoring, non-formal education, counseling youth in trauma, and building the capacity of small organizations.
The three organizations returned to Iraq to implement these methods—with ongoing program coaching from Questscope, as well as assistance in developing a system to track the outcomes for children and youth involved. Diakonia, a Swedish development organization, provided financial resources to help this happen.
Hundreds of boys and girls in Northern Iraq are now involved in mentoring and non-formal education programs, and are reclaiming their future. The Zewa Center for Youth now provides education and economic empowerment for families of at-risk children. The Haval Center, established to support the rights of children, provides care services and is involved in the implementation of a mentoring program. The Mental Health Center in Dohok and Erbil provides counseling, treatment and training for university students.
Partners:
Zewa Center for Youth, Haval Mentoring Center, Mental Health Center in Dohuk and Erbil, Questscope, and Diakonia
Yemen &Sudan
Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI) and leaders in Yemen and Sudan invited Questscope to help local leaders assess and better understand how disadvantaged children and youth in their cities might have a better life.
In Sana’a, Yemen and Khartoum, Sudan Questscope trained local leaders and organizations in our Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) methods, and facilitated this community assessment.
Based upon these results, leaders in each city developed a specific plan for creating new opportunities for vulnerable youth. Questscope is advising and training leaders during implementation. Near Khartoum, leaders established a non-formal education program that has served over 800 children in its first year. In Sana’a, over 500 youth are involved in NFE outreach and high levels of interest prove that this number will continue to grow.
Partners in Yemen:
The Child Protection Initiative Unit of the Municipality of Greater Sana'at, Alsaleh Social Foundations for Development, The Ministry of Social Affairs, Questscope, and AUDI.
Partners in Sudan:
The Ministry of Social Development in Khartoum State, The Council of Women, Children and Family Affairs in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Dar Al-Arqam Vocational Training Association in Khartoum, Questscope, and AUDI
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