The Syrian humanitarian crisis has had an impact also on food security of the affected communities. Many markets have been excluded from the agricultural supply and the costs of basic foods have risen considerably. At 2017, it is estimated that 8,7 million Syrians are in need of food support.
In Qatana (southwest of Damascus), 71% of families are forced to adopt negative survival strategies to face the lack of food, such as: purchasing according to price and not to nutritional quality; preserving it with ineffective techniques; reducing the number of meals and the size of portions. Lacks and imbalances are furtherly worsened by the reduced self-production, unsafe hygiene conditions and the use of contaminated water for cooking.
COOPI aims to contrast these problems by providing vulnerable families with access to means of self production such as horticultures and self-managed poultry pens. The intervention is carried out mostly in households headed by women (18.000 beneficiaries estimated), so as to enhance their role in generating income but also to protect them from physical violence and sexual assaults trough their economic and social empowerment.
Project activities include the distribution of agricultural kits for the setting up of vegetable gardens, coupled with the related training. In matter of hygiene, 675 basic kits will be distributed to an equal number of families and an awareness campaign on correct food usage and on techniques for its effective preservation will be launched.
