From a Learner to a Leader: Salam’s Journey Towards Empowerment in Northwest Syria
At just 29 years old, Salam*, a mother of three and an employee at a women-led organisation in Northwest Syria, never imagined she would one day confidently write project proposals, manage procurement systems, and apply for positions with international organisations. But today, she does all of that and more. Her journey began with World Vision’s livelihood project, funded by UNFPA and dedicated to empowering women working in women-led organisations (WLOs) and strengthening their systems. The project comprised of a series of workshops, building capacities in project proposal writing, strategic planning, and effective community engagement.
Before participating in the project, Salam had the ambition and passion to contribute more to her role as a finance officer but lacked some skills to bring her ideas to life within the organisation. “I always wanted to do more for my organisation and my community,” she explains. “But I didn’t know where to start or how to take that next step.”
The WLO she worked with, she was selected to participate in the training sessions provided by the livelihood project, which was an opportunity for Salma to increase and build her capacities in areas she always wanted. She participated in a series of targeted workshops, including training on financial policy, procurement procedures, and project development. These sessions introduced her to essential tools and practices such as budgeting frameworks, procurement request processes, and compliance standards. The financial policy training, in particular, helped her understand how to manage purchase requests accurately and in line with donor requirements. With this new knowledge, Salam developed the confidence to take on responsibilities she had once avoided, becoming a more active and capable contributor within her organisation.
Salma had the opportunity to use the skills she gained in the training through participating in an T initiative of the organisation she works with, under a continuous technical support from World Vision Syria Response’s Localisation project field team.
“The belief in her goals turned exhaustion into fuel and obstacles into stepping stones,” she said. "Perseverance is the bridge that dreams cross to reach reality. There is no success without unbreakable resolve”, she reflected .
To Salma, work isn't only to support her children financially, but also a key role in strengthening her organisation's operations. She now confidently handles procurement processes, contributes to proposal writing
Salam’s transformation reflects the broader success of this project. Her story is one of many, showing how with targeted support and a belief in local leadership, women can make a change and impact their communities.
Looking to the future, Salam dreams of further developing her skills and helping others along the way. She envisions one day leading her own initiatives that empower more women like her to rise.
“Believe in your purpose, and remember, the smallest steps, taken with courage, can lead to the most powerful change.” Salma concluded.
Thanks to the generous funding from UNFPA, the project, strengthened capacities of women-led organisations (WLOs) in Northwest Syria to lead humanitarian initiatives, and build sustainable, community-based solutions for their communities,
Through partnerships with 24 WLOs, the project carried out participatory capacity assessments, co-created tailored capacity action plans, and delivered technical training based on World Vision’s GMF (Gender and Inclusion Mainstreaming Framework) mentoring curriculum. Thanks to UNFPA’s support, selected organisations also received seed grants of up to US$30,000 to either strengthen internal systems or implement small-scale gender-based violence (GBV) response initiatives. These grants, alongside a continuous mentoring and knowledge sharing, created a strong foundation for more resilient and sustainable local systems.
*Name has been changed to protect identity
