Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among women. With the aim of raising the level of health awareness and disseminating basic medical and preventive knowledge concerning breast cancer among girls and women, the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD) team held within the Hear-My-Heart Program, in cooperation with the Syrian Breast Cancer Association and the UNHCR, several awareness sessions entitled Awareness of Breast Diseases and Cancer: Etiology, Symptoms, Early Detection and Treatment Protocols. The sessions were held on 08/22-29/09/2018 in the following districts: Jaramana (Butterfly Effect and Beit al-Wiam CCs), al-Hameh (al-Salam CC).
118 women attended, whose interaction was positive and significant. This was evident through the women’s active participation and questions that enriched the sessions. To encourage the women, the Breast Cancer Association later offered the opportunity to conduct mammography screenings, free of charge, in several centers throughout October for all demanding women.

There are many aspects to the celebration of Eid that vary with time, influenced by the evolution of human society. In days of old, Eid celebrations were certainly very different from what they have become now, but the common factor is the sheer joy felt with the advent of Eid.
Accordingly, on 25 August2018, in Rural Damascus, ‘Adra Industrial Zone, al-Farah CC, SSSD organized, in cooperation with the UNHCR, a session entitled Holidays, Past and Present.
The session, which was held within the Old-But-Gold Program, included 19 elderly women who recalled Eid in the past and compared between past and present holiday celebrations. The aim was to warm the hearts of the elderly who explicitly wished to talk about the ambiance of Eid. The women interacted very well and pleasure was obvious on their faces. We certainly learned a lot from the participants’ sharing of various lovely customs that were common during holidays in the past.

“Life has taught me to be as soft as leaves of a tree, as rough as its trunk, as solid as its roots, as fragrant as its scent, to be like a fertile soil that gives to the one who plants free of charge…”
In this context, on 18 August 2018, in Rural Damascus, Jaramana District, Beit al-Wiam CC, SSSD organized, in cooperation with the UNHCR, a session entitled the Tree of Life. The session, which was held within the Old-But-Gold Program, included 36 beneficiaries of seniors, during which the life process of several people was evoked. They shared what they learned from life experiences and the way they handed those experiences over to their children and grandchildren. In fact, Life is always the Great Teacher. The session was followed by a handicraft activity, during which the elderly made a tree they named the Tree of Life.
The interaction of the beneficiaries was great, which showed in the verbal expression of their many experiences that proved to be as many enriching life lessons. They were also happy with manual work and the fact of enthusiastically sharing with each other.

Manual labor and handicrafts give us inner balance and a sense of trust and success in human relationships. This is why art must be for everyone.
In this context, on 14/08/2018, in collaboration with the UNFPA, SSSD organized at the Electricity Institute temporary shelter in the ‘Adra District, Rural Damascus, a session entitled Hand-Made.
The session, which was held within the Hear-My-Heart Program, included 16 women and aimed to break the routine and introduce the participants to a new skill of manual labor. The women interacted remarkably and engaged in the activities with passion. They also expressed their pleasure and a strong desire to do similar work in the future.

In order to encourage women to work, develop their abilities and invest their skills, Maskaneh satellite center, in cooperation between the Syrian Society for Social Development and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees held a gallery, which included the supply and sale of women-made products such as (food provisions, handicrafts- women and children sewing cloths - Drawings on cartoon - Drawing on canvas - Spices & vegetable oils).
The gallery was attended by 68 of the beneficiaries of the hear my heart program and women from the community The joy was the dominant feeling among the ladies, who expressed their desire to have this gallery again because they were so happy to be productive women. these are some of their sayings:
"I sold all my products, I was feeling depressed before, but now I am happy because I am helping my husband moneywise, how good it is to work and see the productive of your job."
"I feel I'm in a museum of all kinds, and it's all beautiful "
"I did not have money for my home, I'm so happy because all the things I offered were sold"
"I did know that trading is this good . I am so happy I sold all the bread this morning"
"I did not imagined that people would like my tailor this much, sold a large number of them and I'm so happy !"

A tiny word with a vast meaning, Eid combines joy and love, refreshes tolerance and the desire to visit relatives and reconnect with friends…
On this occasion, the SSSD various teams in Rural Damascus, in cooperation with the UNHCR, carried out six sessions entitled Celebrating Eid with you is still lovelier! between 19 and 26 June at the Beit al-Wiaam and Butterfly Effect CCs (Jaramana district), the Peace Center for Development (al-Hameh), the Farah CC (‘Adra) and Dar al-Karama for elderly care.
The sessions were attended by 391 beneficiaries from the Hear-My-Heart and Dhahab Ateeq programs. They included several art performances, competitions and games and were concluded by offering the traditional Eid sweets and a small present for each beneficiary.
Everyone participated in competitions and games with great joy and enthusiasm and certainly enjoyed the artistic performances. The fact that we celebrated together that happy occasion had a great impact on the hearts of the beneficiaries.

Evenings in Ramadan have a sweetness of their own and words have a special perfume. As we, in SSSD, believe that a perfumed word can unfold a smile in a soul, and based on SSSD’s basic role in psychosocial support, the SSSD team, in cooperation with UNHCR, organized gatherings on May 18 and 25 and June 1 under the title Ramadan Tales. In fact, these were part of the Hear-My-Heart psychosocial support sessions and took place at the temporary shelters in Adra.
The sessions included 676 male beneficiaries and simply aimed to bring pleasure to their hearts. To that effect, several recreational activities were proposed, the highlight of which was the very popular storyteller (hakawati) character, so famous in the Levant in days of old. The beneficiaries were fascinated by the storyteller’s exciting style and thrilled at the events of the story. The sessions also included other recreational activities, which were a source of great appreciation and sheer delight, explicitly expressed by the attendees.

In celebration of Mothers’ Day, and in appreciation of the role of mothers—a mother being the one who brings hope and makes us smile in life’s most difficult moments—, the SSSD team in Rural Damascus, in cooperation with UNHCR, held several recreational sessions on the occasion of Mothers’ Day within the Hear-My-Heart and Dhahab Atiq programs.
The sessions were attended by 243 women and men and were intended to bring joy and pleasure to their hearts and celebrate with them. The discussion touched upon the role of mothers in raising children on moral principles and was followed by various recreational activities, such as games, singing, buzuq and flute playing and poetry recitation by some men and children.
The beneficiaries greatly enjoyed the event, which encouraged them to revive family gatherings for celebration. Several wonderful talents were also discovered, in poetry, singing and music playing.