Education

School Rehabilitation in Salah al-Din — Partner: UNOCHA — Grant: USD 65,300 — Duration: January 2010–December 2011 — Sector: Education — Location: Iraq (Salah al-Din Governorate – Samarra District). Overview: The project delivered rapid, life-saving support to populations affected by two schools damaged by an explosion in 2010, combining school rehabilitation with WASH interventions. Activities included demolishing and rebuilding 12 bathroom units at primary and secondary schools (for boys and girls) in Samarra, training teachers on best hygiene practices, forming a health and hygiene team in each school, and delivering hygiene awareness sessions to 1,600 students across both schools.
Student Scholarships Program – Iraq — Partner: Human Relief Foundation (HRF) — Grant: USD 134,500 — Duration: Jan 2009–December 2014 — Sector: Higher Education — Location: Iraq (Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, Erbil Governorates). Overview: The program awarded monthly academic scholarships to 545 undergraduate and graduate students in Medicine, Engineering, Media, Business Administration and Economics, and Law. Scholarships covered monthly allowances, a qualification and skills-building program, and community participation activities — including TOEFL English certification and IC3 computer proficiency certification recognized by Iraqi universities — and were allocated 60% to bachelor's students and 40% to graduate students.
Literacy and Life Skills Program — Partner: UNESCO — Grant: USD 63,700 — Duration: November 1, 2011–March 30, 2012 — Sector: Education / Life Skills — Location: Iraq (Salah al-Din Governorate). Overview: Sorouh, in partnership with UNESCO and MoE/DoE of Salahaldin, implemented the Literacy and Life Skills Program — a 9-month program covering basic Arabic reading and writing and arithmetic — opening and supporting 5 learning centers across 5 locations in Salah al-Din. The project reached more than 1,000 students and provided incentives for 20 lecturers and 5 supervisors, along with the necessary life-skills training and equipment provided by UNESCO.
Civic Values and Life Skills — Partner: UNESCO — Grant: USD 41,200 — Duration: June 1–December 31, 2012 — Sector: Education / Life Skills — Location: Iraq (Salah al-Din Governorate – Tikrit, Samarra, and Dijail Districts). Overview: Sorouh, with UNESCO Iraq, implemented the Civic Values and Life Skills Program across Tikrit, Samarra, and Dijail districts in Salah al-Din, training 100 youth, 20 media professionals, 15 NGO workers, 10 peer educators, and 100 teachers on civic values, peaceful coexistence, and community participation. Trained participants served as community ambassadors, extending the project's reach and promoting social cohesion and active citizenship among communities recovering from crisis and educational disruption.
Skill Development and Community Participation for University Undergraduate Students – Iraq — Partner: Human Relief Foundation (HRF) — Grant: USD 40,170 — Duration: July 2014–March 2015 — Sector: Higher Education / Youth Development — Location: Iraq (Tikrit and Kirkuk Universities, Erbil in partnership with the Kurdistan Youth Foundation). Overview: The project equipped 180 university students with life and community skills through training in personality awareness, self-discovery, and effective communication, complemented by language-proficiency and IC3 Office courses. Despite security and logistical challenges that required relocating some training activities to Kirkuk and Erbil, the program strengthened students' ability to engage constructively with others and become active contributors to their communities.
Develop Structures for Educational Institutions – Iraq — Partner: Human Relief Foundation (HRF) — Grant: USD 20,000 — Duration: January 2015–July 2015 — Sector: Higher Education — Location: Iraq (Tikrit, Samarra, and Kirkuk Universities – Salah al-Din Governorate). Overview: In partnership with specialized research and training centers, the project delivered 4 specialized studies proposing updated internal regulations and administrative systems for Iraqi universities in Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, and Erbil. It targeted improvements to staff appointment and performance-evaluation procedures and worked to strengthen academic freedoms, helping build a more effective, independent, and modern academic environment.
Providing Quality Education and Protection for Newly Displaced Children to Salahaldin — Partner: OCHA-IHF — Sector: Education — Duration: 01/11/2016–31/05/2017 — Location: AlAlam camps 1 and 2, Salah al-Din. Overview: SSDF implemented an emergency education and child protection intervention targeting newly displaced children in AlAlam camps 1 and 2. Supported by the Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund (IHPF) along with in-kind contributions from UNICEF and Mercy Corps, SSDF established 2 Temporary Learning Spaces (TLSs) operating in three shifts (primary for girls, primary for boys, and mixed secondary for both). To accommodate all 2,160 displaced students, SSDF set up 22 tents (21 classroom tents and 1 training tent) and 1 prefab caravan, with 60 lecturers receiving incentives across the two camp locations. The intervention distributed 3,800 student kits and 6 recreation kits, provided remedial education, and delivered psychosocial support (PSS) and hygiene promotion sessions. The project directly reached 2,279 beneficiaries, including displaced students, teachers, PTA members, and community facilitators.
Integrated Humanitarian Response to the Provision of Access to Quality Education and Children Protection for IDPs Children Living in AlAlam Camps — Partner: OCHA-IHF — Sector: Education — Duration: 01/06/2017–30/11/2017 — Location: AlAlam camps 1, 2, and 3, Salah al-Din. Overview: SSDF implemented an integrated emergency education and child protection intervention targeting newly displaced children in AlAlam camps 1, 2, and 3. Supported by the Iraq First Standard Allocation (IHPF) along with in-kind contributions from UNICEF and local government support, the project expanded two existing Temporary Learning Spaces (TLSs) operating in three shifts by adding 10 new prefabs, a 65 KV generator, 44 air coolers, and WASH facilities to reduce severe classroom overcrowding. The intervention provided formal/non-formal education, catch-up classes, PSS, Mine Risk Education (MRE), and hygiene promotion sessions, directly reaching 3,523 beneficiaries, including 3,405 displaced students along with teachers and PTA members.
Integrated Humanitarian Response to the Provision of Access to Quality Education and Children Protection for Conflict-Affected Children (Newly Displaced Populations from Hawija and Shirqat) — Partner: Sorouh for Sustainable Development Foundation (SSDF) — Sector: Education — Duration: 23/10/2017–23/03/2018 — Location: AlAlam camps 1 & 2 and East Shirqat, Salah al-Din. Overview: SSDF implemented an emergency education and child protection intervention targeting displaced children in AlAlam camps and returnee children in East Shirqat. Funded through the IHF 6th Reserve Allocation (Hawiga Response), the project supported formal and non-formal learning opportunities, rehabilitated 10 returnee schools in East Shirqat, maintained 2 Temporary Learning Spaces (TLSs) in AlAlam camps, provided remedial education, and delivered PSS, hygiene promotion, and Mine Risk Education (MRE). The intervention directly reached 6,780 beneficiaries, including 6,596 conflict-affected children, 100 teachers, and 84 PTA members.
Supporting Safe, Dignified and Sustainable Reintegration of Returnee Children Through Quality Education and Protection — Partner: Save the Children International (SCI), funded by MNFA — Sector: Education & Child Protection — Duration: 01/07/2016–30/04/2017 — Location: Tikrit District and Alalam Sub District, Salah al-Din. Overview: SSDF, in partnership with SCI, implemented an intervention to support the safe, dignified, and sustainable reintegration of returnee and local community children through quality education and protection services. The project established remedial education centers, set up youth and children's clubs, activated PTAs, formed Return Committees, and delivered psychosocial support, hygiene promotion, and cleaning campaigns. Operating across targeted schools in Tikrit and Alalam with an approved budget of IQD 385,002,500, the project directly reached over 5,400 children alongside hundreds of local adult community members and key stakeholders.
Providing Safe and Inclusive Education for Primary and Secondary Level IDP and Host Community Children (Phase 1, EiE Response to Mosul Crisis) — Partner: UNICEF — Sector: Education & Child Protection — Duration: 01/11/2016–31/01/2017 — Location: Alqadisiya and Dream City complex, Tikrit, Salah al-Din. Overview: SSDF implemented an emergency education response to support conflict-affected primary and secondary IDP and host community children during the Mosul crisis. The intervention established tented Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS), conducted a Back to School campaign, distributed student kits, and provided New Year gifts to children. The project also established Parents & Teachers Associations and trained educators on hygiene promotion, child safeguarding, resilience, code of conduct, positive discipline, and psychosocial support (PSS).
Providing Safe and Inclusive Education for Primary and Secondary Level IDP and Host Community Children (Phase 2, EiE Response to Mosul Crisis) — Partner: UNICEF — Sector: Education & Child Protection — Duration: 22/02/2017–22/06/2017 — Location: Alqadisiya and Dream City complex, Tikrit, Salah al-Din. Overview: SSDF implemented the second phase of an emergency education response for primary and secondary IDP and host community children affected by the Mosul crisis. The project established tented TLS, ran a Back to School campaign, distributed student kits, and managed Remedial Education Teachers and Centers. The intervention also established PTAs and trained educators on Education in Emergencies (EiE), literacy boosting, conflict-sensitive education, hygiene promotion, child safeguarding, resilience, code of conduct, positive discipline, and PSS.
Providing Safe and Inclusive Education for Primary and Secondary Level IDP and Host Community Children (Phase 3, EiE Response to Mosul Crisis) — Partner: UNICEF — Sector: Education & Child Protection — Duration: 01/07/2017–30/10/2017 — Location: Dream City, Qadissiyah, and AlShahama camp, Tikrit, Salah al-Din. Overview: SSDF implemented the third phase of an emergency education response supporting displaced and host community children affected by the Mosul crisis. Operating across six IDP settlements in Tikrit, the project delivered safe and inclusive primary and secondary learning opportunities. The intervention targeted conflict-affected youth under the direct oversight of focal contact Ihsan M Hasan, with an approved budget of IQD 180,830,000.
Support Providing Access to Safe and Inclusive Education for Basic Education with Focus on OOSC and IDP Children (Including New Retaken Areas) — Partner: UNICEF — Sector: Education & Child Protection — Duration: 15/11/2017–15/02/2018 — Location: Dream Land, Qadissiyah, Al-Shahama camp, and East Shirqat, Salah al-Din. Overview: SSDF implemented an emergency education project targeting out-of-school (OOSC) and displaced children across IDP settlements and newly retaken areas in Salah al-Din. The intervention rehabilitated local schools, provided incentives for non-formal education teachers, and conducted Back to School and hygiene promotion campaigns. The project also held PTA sessions and organized recreational activities to strengthen community support and child well-being.
Support Provide Access to Safe and Inclusive Education for Basic Education and Summer School Activities (Focus on OOSC and Returnees, Including Yathrib and Surrounding Areas) — Partner: UNICEF — Sector: Education & Child Protection — Duration: 01/06/2018–30/09/2018 — Location: Tikrit (Al-Shahama camp, Al-Qadissiya, Dream City), Al-Shirqat, Baiji, Yathrib, and Balad Train Station, Salah al-Din. Overview: SSDF launched a summer education and child protection initiative focusing on returnee and out-of-school children across multiple districts in Salah al-Din. The project delivered catch-up classes, psychosocial support, recreational programs, and life skills sessions. The team also executed Back to School drives and Communication for Development (C4D) advocacy to re-engage vulnerable youth in basic education.
Providing Safe and Inclusive Education for Primary and Secondary Level IDP and Host Community Children (EiE Response to Mosul Crisis — Detailed Phase) — Partner: UNICEF — Sector: Education in Emergencies (EiE) — Duration: 01/11/2016–31/01/2017 — Location: Alqadisiya and Dream City complex, Tikrit District, Salah al-Din. Overview: SSDF implemented an emergency education response targeting primary and secondary IDP and host community children affected by the Mosul crisis. Operating with an approved budget of IQD 137,451,000, the project established 30 UNICEF-supplied tented classrooms across four temporary learning spaces (TLS). Through a "Back to School" campaign, the project registered 2,143 students (1,054 boys and 1,092 girls) and engaged 53 teachers (10 male, 43 female). Key interventions included distributing student kits, 76 recreation kits, and DoE textbooks, as well as establishing and training Parents & Teachers Associations (PTA). The initiative also provided teacher training on hygiene promotion, child resilience, child safeguarding, and Psychosocial Support (PSS), alongside hosting New Year celebrations and distributing school uniforms to 900 vulnerable and orphaned children.

Projects

DAFI Schoolarship Program