Enab Baladi – Idlib

Syrian civil society organizations are working on a project to train 3,000 people on the basics of first aid and disaster management in the governorates of Idlib and Aleppo, in one of the largest such training projects in northern Syria.

The project is implemented through training volunteers, young men and women, in civil centers of Violet organization in Azaz – in the countryside of Aleppo, as well as Armanaz, Ma`arat al-Nu`man and the city of Idlib.

The trainees receive information on the theoretical and practical foundations of first aid, tailored to community standards. It aims at addressing the developments taking place in the area, which is especially important with the increased military escalation in Idlib, according to the training coordinator and young volunteers at Violet, Abdallah Nemah.

Nemah added that the only criterion for accepting trainees is being over the age of 18, and that the project is preparing specialized training materials for ages 18 and under – to be launched soon.

The courses last for two days of each week, with an average of four training hours each. They are being held in cooperation with local councils which contribute to facilitating the trainings.

Mohammed Abu Hamdan, a fourth-year medical student in Idlib University, underwent a first-aid course organized by the organization. He says that he found the exercises to be simple, but that he participated to increase his medical and practical experience.

Abu Hamdan believes that these courses enable the community to deal with emergencies and disasters, and to promote a culture of emergency care in the ongoing war.

The organization has so far completed the training of 1,000 individuals in its program, and will continue until reaching its target of 3,000 graduates amid a marked public turnout, Nemah said.

Violet Organization had launched three training programs earlier in 2017, targeting hundreds of young people in northern Syria. These were part of its Volunteers and Emergencies program, and were implemented in collaboration with four other Syrian organizations.

Founded in Idlib in 2011 by a group of young people, Violet Organization is known for its work in the fields of relief, emergency and psychological support in northern Syria.

The governorate of Idlib has witnessed numerous emergency training courses over the past year, and their frequency has increased after the Russian-Turkish agreement reached last September.