PASSING ON KNOWLEDGE
The feeling of hopelessness should be replaced by the knowledge that one can take control
of their own life. We aim to create an environment where women are empowered and
provided with a realistic outlook so that they can independently rebuild their communities.
This is the only way to ensure organic and sustainable growth as well as integration into
existing social structures.
Bjeen Alhassan - Founder of TOK
Zanin Transfer
Zanin Transfer is the first officially funded project by TOK. Zanin is Kurdish and means knowledge - so Zanin Transfer is a direct reference to our name: Transfer of Knowledge. The project takes place in the war zone in north-east Syria.
The multi-layered conflict situation in Syria, which has been ongoing for over a decade, has led to the inevitable confrontation with violence, fear and war in all areas of public and private life. Nearly half a million people have been killed so far. Nearly 5 million people have fled the country since the conflict began in 2011, representing about a quarter of the population at the time. Another 6 million people are currently fleeing within Syria.
In the family system in Syria, it is primarily the men who provide the livelihood. However, many defy IS or take the risks of fleeing in order to catch up with their families - in the best case and after a long wait - by safe means. In both cases, women often stay behind and have to wait.
Association founder Bjeen Alhassan herself grew up in Rojava, Syria and was on the ground in the Kurdish part of Syria in 2021 and 2022. There she saw how the role of women has changed and what it takes to guarantee them self-confidence and financial independence. One of the factors was that women lack skills to perform computer-based tasks and such knowledge is not widely available and usually expensive.
Here, TOK offers education and knowledge. Complementary to the existing local NGOs, whose main task is to work against radicalisation, TOK e.V. explicitly wants to reach out to women and help them to help themselves and others. To this end, a place is to be created in Qamishli, the largest city in north-east Syria, where women will not only receive basic help and knowledge, but also the motivation and perspective to become independent and confident.
With financial support from help alliance gGmbH of the Lufthansa Group and incooperation with ASO, an NGO already based in the area, we found reliable partners for our endeavor.
The project includes courses for women to learn computer skills. These courses involve learning to use a computer and common programes. IT skills are important for gaining a foothold in the labor market or climbing the career ladder. The courses take place over a period of 8 weeks, 4 hours a week.
The training includes the following content:
1. Introduction to IT and the importance of computers in modern work
2. Operating systems, user interfaces, files, and folders
3. Microsoft Word for document creation and formatting
4. Microsoft Excel for data entry and basic calculations
5. Microsoft PowerPoint for presentations
6. Internet, email, and web browsers
7. Life skills: Effective resume writing, time management, communication, and basic project management
The first group of participants successfully completed their training in January 2024.
Zanin Transfer News 🎉
We are pleased to announce that three groups have already successfully completed the course. Each woman has made great progress on her personal journey.
We encourage the determination and commitment of the participants, who have seized the opportunity to expand their skills and improve their future prospects. They are an embodiment of the emancipation process that has been taking place in north-east Syria for years.
It was moving to see the children of the participants at the graduation ceremony. Having strong female role models at home is invaluable for the development of these children. Together, these women are not only changing their own lives, but also shaping the future of the next generation.
