Raqqa, Syria – April 2019

In a city once silenced by war, a school bell rings again.

In the heart of Raqqa, where ISIS left behind broken buildings and broken dreams, Al-Rifqa Primary School has become a symbol of what is possible when communities come together — with just a little help.

In 2019, DOZ Syria, in close partnership with the local education committee and school leadership in Raqqa, launched an education-focused initiative to bring life back into schools that had been severely affected by conflict. The effort was part of the broader campaign “We Love Raqqa,” a grassroots movement initiated by DOZ Syria and led by youth volunteers committed to rebuilding their city from the ground up.

At Al-Rifqa Primary School, more than 500 children returned to classrooms with no proper furniture, no learning materials, and in many cases, deep psychological trauma from war.

To respond, DOZ Syria distributed 525 school bags, fully equipped with essential stationery and supplies, to every pupil — from first through sixth grade. This activity was not just about handing out materials; it was about restoring dignity, structure, and joy to children whose lives had been disrupted.

“I love my new notebook,” said Alaa, a 10-year-old student who hadn’t written in a clean copybook in over two years.
“It smells like school again.”

Understanding that post-conflict education is about more than pencils and textbooks, DOZ also organized school-based psychosocial support (PSS) activities aimed at helping children recover from emotional distress, feel safe in their environment, and enjoy learning once again.

These activities, funded by DOZ e.V. Germany, included:

• Group play and storytelling sessions
• Art and drawing therapy to express difficult emotions
• School games that encouraged teamwork and fun

These were not formal therapy sessions, but rather child-friendly, supervised spaces designed to promote resilience, trust, and hope.

During the distribution and activity days, DOZ worked side-by-side with school management and local education committees to ensure full transparency and inclusion. Together, they assessed the deeper challenges facing Al-Rifqa School, including:

• Damaged infrastructure
• Shortage of desks and blackboards
• Unusable sanitation facilities

DOZ teams documented these findings, laying the groundwork for future rehabilitation efforts — once further funding can be secured. Every visit was an opportunity to listen, learn, and advocate for the long-term needs of the children and teachers.

The success of this activity lies not only in the number of school bags distributed but in the spirit behind it. The initiative was led by local youth volunteers in Raqqa — many of them former students themselves — who believed in the simple but powerful idea: “We Love Raqqa.”

This locally-driven campaign aims to empower students and young adults to play a central role in rebuilding their society. Through education, environmental action, protection of public spaces, and support for vulnerable groups, the youth of Raqqa are writing a new chapter for their city.

This education support project was made possible thanks to:

• UNICEF, who provided the school bags and education materials
• DOZ e.V. Germany, who financed the psychosocial support activities and logistics

Their contributions helped revive one of Raqqa’s schools and brought comfort and joy to hundreds of children.

Education is a fundamental right — even, and especially, in post-conflict zones. In Raqqa, we have seen how a small effort — a school bag, a drawing session, a smile — can go a long way.

We believe in the power of community-led education recovery. We believe in children learning without fear. And we believe that every child deserves to be in a classroom, not a crisis.

If you would like to support similar efforts, reach out to us at
📧 info@doz.ngo or visit 🌐 www.doz.ngo