CanDo Action

Since our last update the Insan team have been providing emergency support to women affected by the horrendous violence in Ghouta, including recent chemical attacks and forced evacuations.  In April Insan offices were forced to close, and most of their team were forced to evacuate to North of Syria/Damascus, others were waiting for evacuations, while a few have remained there refusing to leave their families and homes behind.  It has been challenging to provide this kind of psychosocial support because many women would not have good internet connection.  The women who were evacuated to regime areas e.g. Damascus city, were too afraid to continue the online support that they deleted their numbers and have requested not to be contact with anyone they knew from East Ghouta. They are too afraid to speak of the events in fear that they will imprisoned or killed by the regime.  Others who left to North Syria have not always had enough money to have an internet connection and have not been able to stay active on the support groups.  Though the ones who remain online have been benefiting a lot from the 24/7 support that Insan have been offering.  Many of them have expressed how the groups have given them a survival line.  They have particularly been able to learn and apply the relaxation techniques and simple breathing especially during times of shelling.  The women have been able to be open about their experiences and being able to share these has been very therapeutic for them.