Integrated education, protection and livelihood interventions to enhance resilience at individual and household level and mitigate winter conditions in Rural Damascus (Sub-objective 2) ltpgtIn line with the SO2 of the SHF SA1 2023, through a multi-sectoral and integrated approach, the proposed intervention contributes to strengthen service delivery and provide livelihood opportunities for vulnerable individuals and households (HH) in underserved areas in Rural Damascus (i.e. Haran Al-Awameed and Harasta sub-districts) to increase their resilience vis-à-vis winter conditions. It addresses needs and gaps in Education, Protection (especially, Child Protection - CP) and Livelihood that INTERSOS identified through assessments conducted between November 2022 and September 2023. 4 schools are targeted: Khaled Mahmoud Yousef and Naief Al-Ghoul in Haran Al-Awameed (mixed primary and secondary schools, respectively) and Harasta the First and Harasta the Third in Harasta (female and male primary schools). The response aims to holistically improve the psycho-social wellbeing and resilience of vulnerable children and their households, including Persons with Specific Needs (PwSN), through school and community-based services. Education and Protection activities are implemented directly by INTERSOS under its sub-MoU with the Ministry of Education (MoE), while partnering with SARC for Livelihood activities. The rehabilitation of schools, provision of solar panels, furniture/supplies and equipment (including heating systems) restore safe education and prevent disruptions due to winter conditions, creating protective and inclusive environments throughout the school year. School retention is increased by improving teaching’s quality through capacity enhancement for teachers, establishment/support of Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs), and provision of Non-Formal Education (NFE, remedial classes for children at risk of drop-out and Self-Learning Programme (SLP) for out-of-school children - OOSC). Substandard housing, socio-economic fragility, and lacking access to energy, water and heating are widespread in target areas - and are exacerbated over winter months. This has a negative impact on the psycho-social wellbeing of local communities and resulted in the adoption of harmful coping strategies, which are particularly affecting the most vulnerable ones (e.g. children, persons with disability, female-headed households, etc.). In the 4 schools, the resilience and wellbeing of vulnerable students and their parents/caregivers and teachers, especially those with specific needs, is enhanced through school-based protection services, including Individual Case Management (ICM) for CP and PwSN (and linked provision of general and/or medical In-Kind Assistance - IKA), structured and semi-structured Psycho-Social Support (PSS), and referral to specialized services. PTAs and children clubs are established, trained, and supported to reinforce sustainable self-protection mechanisms. Based on risks and concerns identified in each target location, awareness raising on cross-cutting issues (i.e. CP, mine risk education, risks related to school drop-out, health and hygiene awareness) is conducted to strengthen community capacities, promote self-protective strategies, and facilitate access to services for the most vulnerable. Context appropriate vocational and soft skills trainings, with linked distribution of start-up kits/productive assets, are provided to parents/caregivers of vulnerable children identified through education and protection activities. This aims to reduce income-expenditure gap and reinforce self-reliance at HH-level, preventing the adoption of harmful coping mechanisms. Vulnerable and at-risk individuals/households are targeted to mitigate their heightened exposure to protection risks and negative coping mechanisms such as school drop-out, child labor, and early marriage, which are more likely during winter due to socio-economic vulnerability and increased living costs related to heating, fuel, or warm clothing. Overall, 8,396 unique individuals (1273 W, 3166 G,nbspltspangt576 M,lt/spangtltspangtnbsp3381 B) are expected to benefit from project activities.lt/spangtlt/pgt