Education has the power to change lives, even in the most difficult circumstances. For Syrian children – like 16-year-old Ahmad – who have grown up through conflict and displacement, restoring education is about more than just getting back to the classroom – it is the opportunity to shape their own futures.
Ahmad is a student at Al-Ghouta Al-Gharbiya Boys School in Daraya, rural Damascus. As a result of Syria’s 14-year conflict, the school was badly damaged and classrooms were unsafe for learning — cracked walls, broken desks, and worn-out windows meant students had to use cardboard to block the cold in winter. The conditions made it difficult for Ahmad to learn and negatively impacted his motivation.
But in late 2025, things changed at the school. Working with our local partner – Mars Organization – Action Syria helped rehabilitate four of the schools classrooms, giving Ahmad and his classmates a safe, comfortable and welcoming space to learn in.
For Ahmad, the most meaningful part of the project was being asked for his opinion and having a real say in what changed at his school. Being involved in decisions about the classroom reminded Ahmad that his voice matters in shaping his future.
“When we were involved in setting the priorities, I felt that the school truly became my school, and that I have a responsibility toward it. After years of studying in difficult conditions, the classroom has become a place that protects us and encourages us to learn.
Today, I feel proud to belong to my school. This project did not only rehabilitate classrooms; it restored our sense that we have not been forgotten, and that our future still matters.”
Now, for the students and community alike, the school is strengthening a sense of belonging and hope that education is the foundation for building a better future in Daraya – beyond conflict and displacement.
Education is an essential pathway to recovery, and every child deserves the chance to learn. But, with 2 million children still out of school in Syria and over 7000 schools damaged or destroyed by the conflict, restoring access to education remains a critical need.
That’s why we are continuing to work with local organisations, who know their communities best, to restore education, protect childhoods, and enable opportunity through learning — one child, one classroom, and one community at a time.
Learn more about our local partner, MARS Organization
Read more from UNICEF about the current challenges facing schools in Syria: https://www.unicef.org/syria/education
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