For Majed Sawa, a Child Protection Supervisor with World Vision Syria Response, the impact of protection services is best understood not through reports or statistics, but through the lives of the children he meets every day. One of those children is 11-year-old Mahmoud*.

When Mahmoud* first arrived at a protection centre in northern Syria, he kept to himself. He struggled to connect with other children, rarely joined activities, and often chose isolation over interaction. At school, bullying from peers left him feeling frustrated and withdrawn.

For Mahmoud*, the centre became a place of transformation.

Through peacebuilding activities and psychosocial support sessions, he learned how to communicate more effectively, manage emotions, work with others, and resolve conflicts peacefully. Gradually, the quiet boy who once sat on the sidelines began participating, speaking up, and building friendships.

One day, he found himself putting those new skills into practice.

There was a conflict between two of my friends, and I was able to solve it by calming the situation, listening, understanding, and finding a solution, he says proudly.

Today, Mahmoud* speaks about the changes in his life with confidence.

The change has been just as noticeable at home.

His mother, Zain*, has faced significant challenges raising five children following the loss of her husband. Living in displacement while trying to provide for her family, she watched with concern as her son struggled with social isolation and limited communication.

“My child had difficulty communicating, was socially isolated, and struggled to build relationships with peers”, Zain* explains.

After joining the protection activities, she began to see a different side of her son emerge.

“My child became more communicative, active, and socially engaged,” she says. “He is now able to understand and express his emotions.”

The difference can be seen even in the way he responds to frustration.

“When he became angry, he wouldn't talk. He would only cry. Now he can explain what he is feeling and why he is upset.”

For Majed, stories like Mahmoud's* demonstrate the importance of investing in local protection workers. Through the Irish Aid-funded EMPOWER programme, he received training in communication, case management, confidentiality, referral systems, psychosocial support, and protection principles. These new skills strengthened his ability to work safely and effectively with vulnerable children and their families.

“My work became more professional and more effective in reaching beneficiaries,” Majed says.

A few kilometres away, another frontline worker witnessed a different journey of transformation.

As Supervisor of Women's Protection centres, Manal Dahlik regularly meets women carrying the burdens of displacement, violence, uncertainty, and loss. Often, the first step towards recovery is simply having a safe place where they feel heard, respected, and supported.

One woman who came to the centre, Hiba*, was a mother of three who had been displaced from Aleppo. Living in a camp with her family, she struggled with loneliness, depression, social isolation, and financial hardship as her husband remained unemployed.

“I suffered from loneliness, depression, and social isolation,” Hiba* recalls.

Seeking support, she joined psychosocial support sessions, awareness activities, and vocational training opportunities offered through the centre. Over time, these services helped her regain confidence, strengthen her coping skills, and reconnect with her community. Through handicraft and sewing activities, she also developed practical skills that enhanced her sense of independence and self-reliance.

“The centre helped me overcome depression,” she says. “I became more confident and more comfortable speaking with others.”

Today, she has a very different understanding of the support available to women facing difficult circumstances.

“Absolutely, I would encourage other woman and girl’s to seek support, she says. It is a place that provides psychological comfort and opportunities to learn skills that can improve a woman's life.” Says Hiba*.

For Manal, her story reflects a wider change taking place across the communities she serves. More women are aware of available services, more families understand where to seek support, and more survivors are accessing assistance in safe and dignified ways.

The programme has also strengthened Manal's own capacity as a protection professional. Training and mentoring enhanced her technical knowledge, communication skills, referral management, and ability to support survivors effectively. Equally important, it helped her develop strategies for self-care and managing the emotional demands of protection work.

“I have become more confident and more courageous in helping people”, Manal says.

Although their stories are different, Mahmoud*, Zain*, and Hiba* share a common thread: access to compassionate support at a critical moment in their lives.

For Mahmoud*, it meant gaining the confidence to build friendships, express his emotions, and navigate challenges. For Zain*, it meant watching her son grow into a more connected and emotionally resilient child. For a mother affected by displacement and isolation, it meant rediscovering her confidence and finding hope for the future.

Behind each of these stories stands a network of trained local frontline workers committed to creating safe spaces, providing psychosocial support, connecting families to services, and helping communities heal. Through Irish Aid's support, these workers are strengthening protection systems while empowering people to rebuild their lives with dignity, resilience, and hope.

For Mahmoud*, what that support means is simple:

“I advise other children to come to the centre to play and learn.”

Sometimes, lasting change begins with something as simple as a safe place to belong.

Name has been change to protect identity.*