The people of the Gaza Strip and the residents of northern Syria are suffering from a harsh reality caused by war, shelling, and siege, which has led to ongoing huge social and economic challenges. In this context, the role of young people emerges as a vital and influential factor that can, if jobs are found, contribute to changing the economic and social landscape. There are many ways to support and donate to these areas, and we are writing this article today to say that providing remote work opportunities is one of the most important aspects of the support needed for Gaza and Syria.
Technology breaks down geographical barriers in remote work. This article comes to help companies and job seekers learn about the most important initiatives that have emerged in the field of remote employment of Gaza and Syria youth and to discuss the most important challenges and benefits of supporting the matter.
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ToggleUnemployment In Gaza and North Syria
Wars and sieges have led to increased unemployment and the collapse of investment sectors, Which has had a direct impact on the number and quality of job opportunities, affecting jobs, companies, and broader economic performance. In the Gaza Strip, unemployment rates have risen to around 73.9% among young people aged 19 to 29, while in Syria the unemployment rate is around 55%.
The Suffering of Gaza Youth After Graduation and Their Unused Skills
Despite the crises experienced in the Gaza Strip, the university education system graduates around 100,000 graduates annually, but 80,000 of them face difficulty finding jobs. The siege and starvation are not limited to imports, tools, and money movement only, but also extend to crafts such as fishing and agriculture, which is what drives young people to learn online work skills and excel in them to break the siege. It is worth noting here that this suffering makes thousands lose hope and try to emigrate despite the suffering on the crossings and separation from their families.
Remote Work Fields for the People of Gaza and North Syria
The people of Gaza and North Syria master many of the skills that companies need around the Arab world. These fields include website programming, electronic marketing, graphic design, video production, project management, translation, creative writing, and content writing. Our experience at Medix shows that the skills of Palestinian and Syrian youth extend to cover all types of remote work skills.
Why Do We Support Them with Remote Work?
- A smart way to break the siege: Those who besiege Gaza and the northern Syrian provinces cannot besiege the Internet. Providing remote work opportunities is an effective way to support our besieged brothers and sisters. It’s a means of real solidarity that goes beyond words, empowering them despite the restrictions.
- A Golden Opportunity for Companies: The youth of Gaza and Syria are distinguished and motivated to prove their worth, and therefore they benefit any workplace and add to it.
- The Opportunity to Work is Better than Financial Aid: By employing besieged youth, we can contribute to building the human being and helping him earn his livelihood on his own to break the siege and the need for assistance.
Important Remote Job Initiatives For Palestinian and Syrian Youth
With great effort and a desire to give, many initiatives have emerged that help connect young people from Gaza and Syria who are interested in remote work with companies in the Arab world. We will review here the most important of these initiatives.
Al-Mutaqaddimoun Website – Gaza
The “Al-Mutaqaddimoun” website provides a group of services that support graduates of different universities in the Gaza Strip by providing news about jobs, grants, and training programs available within Gaza. The organizers also launched a training initiative to develop remote work skills for Gaza youth. The site launched the initiative on October 6, 2023, with funding from the Tamkeen for Lending and Development Foundation, with the aim of qualifying young people to work through freelance platforms and supporting those who cannot find government jobs. You can view the initiative page here.
Syrian Geeks
It is a knowledge-based digital platform and community in which young men and women from inside and outside Syria participate. The digital community aims to provide Syrian youth with the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to enter the freelance market and work remotely. The site provides an opportunity for job seekers to connect with their peers to exchange experiences, as well as training programs and valuable articles. Those interested can register an account on it to benefit from it.
Dollani Initiative
Dollani Camp is a technical initiative aimed at developing technical talents in the Northern Syria region. The camp offers training programs to learn technical skills and basic work competencies. The organizers also aim to provide job opportunities for trainees. The camp’s administrative team consists of a founder, CEO, COO, project manager, administrative assistant, and administrative coordinator. The camp lasts for three to six months, during which the organizers provide participants with
The Freelancer Working Group in Syria
This group has thousands of members on Facebook, and aims to connect Syrian entrepreneurs and businesses with job seekers, both within and outside Syria.
While the Freelancer Working Group is a notable initiative, it is not the only means of employing young Palestinians and Syrians remotely. Numerous online platforms provide access to qualified employees, and you can use them to find workers from Gaza and Syria to support them. Some of these platforms and websites include:
- Freelancer
- PeoplePerHour
- Contently
- Dribbble
- Khamsat
- Mustaqil
- Indeed
- Al-Souq Al-Maftuh
Challenges and Solutions
Remote workers face challenges that include companies’ commitment to contracts, the lack of laws that ensure fair treatment during online work, and the difficulties of transferring money to besieged areas.
However, these challenges are not insurmountable, and young people have found practical ways to overcome them, including:
- Working with trusted websites that guarantee the rights of both parties.
- Using established payment methods such as local banks or Western Union to receive remittances.
- Documenting contracts by signing them electronically and providing proof in the form of emails between the parties involved.
Related: Medics Helps With Renovation of Al-Shifa Complex in Gaza 2024
Final Words
Hiring young people from Gaza and Syria is not charity; it is an investment in their skills and dedication. These individuals have repeatedly proven their excellence in every practical experience they have had with companies in the Arab world. We hope that we have helped you find a starting point for contributing to effective practical support and breaking the siege on two of the most deserving regions in the Arab world for urgent support.
