Meet Areej, a hairdressing student at a training centre in Salamieh. At 24, Areej faced a future filled with uncertainty. Like many young Syrians, she has felt the economic impact of a conflict that has left 90 percent of the population below the poverty line. Living with her family of six, she has had few opportunities.

"We faced many challenges. There was little support, and most training centres were too expensive," she says.

Today, Areej is part of a vocational training programme offering practical, income-generating skills to unemployed youth. The centre she attends is supported by the Government of Canada through the Adolescent Girls’ Education in Crisis Initiative, and run by the Aga Khan Foundation in partnership with the World University Service of Canada. Courses range from hairdressing and tailoring to food production and handicrafts – skills that are in high demand and help students build a pathway to employment.

Majd, a volunteer at the centre, sees the difference the training is making. Watching trainees apply their new skills in local markets fills him with quiet pride. Progress may be slow, he says, but it is steady and meaningful: “We are going forward.”

Since 2019, over 50,000 adolescent girls and young women in Syria have been able to more easily access education, a crucial step towards building a brighter future for the next generation.

These efforts are part of AKDN’s broader commitment to Syria, now strengthened by the Ismaili Imamat’s €100 million pledge – reflecting a shared vision to uphold dignity, rebuild lives and lay the foundations for long-term recovery.