8/5/2026
Qatar Charity, in partnership with Attaa Humanitarian Relief Association, is implementing a year-long Livestock Value Chain Support project in Idlib and Aleppo governorates in northwest Syria, as part of efforts to strengthen food security and promote sustainable livelihoods. The project targets some of the areas’ most affected livestock breeders, as well as women who are the primary providers for their families, through an integrated package of support.
Mobile Veterinary Clinics
Since its launch in August 2025, the project has exceeded several of its planned targets. Two mobile veterinary clinics deployed by Qatar Charity have provided services to more than 34,000 sheep and goats and approximately 1,942 cattle in villages across Idlib and Aleppo. The project has also distributed 365 tonnes of processed fodder to livestock breeders, out of a planned 500 tonnes, while providing artificial insemination services for selected cows to help improve breeds and boost productivity.
To help stimulate local economic activity, the project has completed the restoration and rehabilitation of the livestock market in Saraqib, rural Idlib, ahead of its opening and handover to local authorities. Preparations are also under way to establish a fodder production facility, a step expected to further strengthen the sustainability of the local production chain.
From Vulnerability to Production
Dairy production is among the project’s most prominent and human-impact-focused components. Twenty-eight women breadwinners received specialized training in processing raw milk and dairy products over 28 days, during which they also took part in a cash-for-work programme. Upon completion, the trainees received grants including a full set of dairy and cheese-making equipment, enabling them to launch small home-based enterprises and begin producing and selling their products.
Fatima Ibrahim Qassem, a mother of four whose husband has a disability and who is the sole provider for her family, said the project had helped her become self-reliant. “We learned how to make different dairy products, including cheese, butter and yoghurt, and, thank God, the project has succeeded,” she said. “We received 28 days of training, and Qatar Charity provided us with all the equipment we need to keep working. Today, we can depend on ourselves without asking for assistance. People bring us milk, and we process and sell it.
Another participant, Fatoum Haj Mousa, said the project had made a tangible difference in her life. “Before joining the project, my situation was extremely difficult,” she said. “After the training, I learned how to make cheese, yoghurt and many other products. The grant then helped me move to a much better situation. I truly hope this project continues for a longer period.”
Fatima Mahmoud Haj Mousa, a widow supporting five children who previously worked as a daily agricultural laborer to provide for her family, said the training and grant enabled her to start a small business. “When the project reached our village, we registered and learned how to work properly and how to establish our own project,” she said. “After receiving the grant, we began making cheese, labneh and household preserves. We now have customers and sell our products, and our situation has improved significantly. Many thanks to the trainers and to Qatar Charity for supporting us. Today, we can continue working and develop our project.”
Advancing Sustainable Food Security
The project reflects Qatar Charity’s approach to moving beyond emergency relief toward sustainable economic empowerment. By supporting each link of the livestock value chain from animal health and nutrition to market infrastructure and home-based food processing—the initiative is helping create income-generating opportunities for vulnerable families, particularly women-headed households.