In 2016, #MeWeSyria was officially launched with partners DARB, a Turkish non-governmental organization and its sister organization Mobaderoon, a non-governmental organization in Lebanon. Over the last 4 years, #MeWeSyria transitioned from a direct service media making program for at-risk refugee youth to a storytelling program enhancing psychological wellbeing and leadership skills for refugee youth and mothers.
#MeWeIntl has led more than 12 training of trainers sessions for Syrian refugee facilitators in Turkey. These trainings enhanced the leadership skills of more than 40 Syrian refugee youth and women. Today, more than 18 Syrian trainers, supported by #MeWeIntl, continue to lead #MeWeSyria programming across southern Turkey.
Thanks to local Syrian facilitators trained by #MeWeIntl, and individual Syrian project managers and innovators like Hadi Althib, the #MeWeSyria program has improved the communication skills and wellbeing of more than 1,500 refugees in southern Turkey, and is now transitioning to community ownership, paving the way for the #MeWeSyria community to grow in Kilis, Antep, and Rehanliye.
In 2020 and 2021, #MeWeSyria continues to grow with two women’s shelters and women-led community organizations where alumni and Syrian community facilitators of #MeWeSyria are cascading the program virtually throughout Gaziantep,Rehanliye, and Kilis. Our #MeWeSyria community heroes have successfully worked through the global pandemic and without disruption into a hybrid program, virtually and in-person. More than 70% of participants in #MeWeSyria in Turkey are refugee girls, women, and mothers.
#MeWeIntl is continues to provide our Syrian network of facilitators with specialized trainings and tools for self-care, media making, and community facilitation skills.
Since 2016, #MeWeIntl has provided local refugee organizations with more than 250,000.00 USD in subgrants to support our community-led activities and trainings in the region.