A training institute in northwestern Syria says that in less than two years it has helped hundreds of refugees who fled from fighting in government-controlled areas to find work.
The training, provided by Ataa Vocational Training Institute, has helped people like Basil Al-Amouri rebuild lives disrupted by Syria’s ongoing civil war.
Seven years ago, Al-Amouri was forced to abandon his studies at the Faculty of Arts, Hama University, after his hometown came under bombardment. He and his family fled from Kafr Zita to Idlib, about 85 kilometres to the north, where he enrolled in learning home appliances maintenance.
“I never imagined that I would drop out of my university, and leave my city, to a new life full of countless difficulties,” Al-Amouri, who is 27, said in a voice message to Al-Fanar Media.
But “the availability of an alternative education opportunity eased the burden of displacement,” he said. “It helped me to be in the market, to sustain a source of income for my family, and most importantly restore my self-confidence after hopes and ambitions were dashed.”