The ILO created decent jobs in Aleppo restoring infrastructure, supporting recovery, and promoting recycling through employment-intensive works that empowered vulnerable communities and enhanced resilience.
The ILO created decent jobs in Aleppo restoring infrastructure, supporting recovery, and promoting recycling through employment-intensive works that empowered vulnerable communities and enhanced resilience.
After the devastating February 2023 earthquake and more than a decade long conflict, daily workers in Aleppo, Syria, continue to face deepening hardship. Wages have declined and jobs have vanished—pushing essential goods out of reach and forcing families already living in poverty into even greater vulnerability.
According to an International Labour Organization (ILO) survey, 88 per cent of households in affected areas were struggling to meet basic living expenses even before the earthquake struck. Many workers were already earning below the absolute poverty line. In the aftermath of the disaster, the need for sustainable, decent employment became more urgent than ever.
In response, the ILO launched the Employment-Intensive labour market recovery from the earthquakes in Syria project, a targeted project using an Employment-Intensive approach in Aleppo from January 2024 until July 2025. By linking infrastructure rehabilitation with immediate job creation and skills development, the project supported early recovery and strengthened community resilience. It contributed directly to the ILO’s global mission of advancing social justice, decent work, and sustainable development, in line with the Decent Work Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8).
The project focused on Qadi Askar—one of the hardest-hit neighbourhoods in Aleppo—and the Al Ramosah recycling station. The project generated 142 short-term decent jobs for skilled and low-skilled workers, including 25 per cent women and 3 per cent persons with disabilities (PWDs), resulting in a total of 11,223.1 workdays. These jobs were more than just temporary employment—they provided critical income support for vulnerable families while directly contributing to the early recovery of essential infrastructure. They represented hope, dignity, and stability for many families on the edge.
Project activities focused on restoring public utilities and enhancing urban mobility, including by removing debris to improve safety and access, and rehabilitating roads and sidewalks to enhance the appearance and functionality of public spaces.
Additional improvements in public and recreational areas included rehabilitating eight children’s playground structures, bringing visible change to many parts of the community.
The project also promoted environmental sustainability by recycling debris into construction materials for use in local infrastructure. This not only supported reconstruction but also promoted green recovery and sustainable material use, reducing pressure on natural resources and landfill sites.
Together, these achievements reflect the impact of community-centred recovery efforts. By supporting inclusive employment-intensive practices, the ILO helped restore infrastructure and livelihoods—laying the groundwork for a more resilient and hopeful future in Aleppo.
Through strategic planning, community engagement, and effective implementation, the project has demonstrated how emergency employment can meet both immediate needs and long-term development goals, especially in fragile settings like post-earthquake Aleppo, becoming a model for crisis recovery.
Notable project activities
Activities conducted under the Employment-Intensive labour market recovery from the earthquakes in Syria project included debris removal, sidewalk and road rehabilitation, repair of sewage networks, clearing of sewerage and rainwater manholes, recycling of construction materials and additional community-prioritized infrastructure works.
A number of activities stood out for their contribution to early recovery efforts and for enhancing the resilience of communities:
- Along 13.4 kilometres of road axes, workers carried out extensive cleaning and maintenance activities, including the cleaning of nearly 2,000 access points and repairs at over 330 locations. Manhole infrastructure was improved through the installation of 22 new covers and 23 concrete lids, the welding of 85 covers and rain grills, and the elevation of 61 manholes and 133 rain grills. Over 2,100 cubic meters of debris were removed from streets, clearing the way for safer, more accessible roads.
- Road and sidewalk rehabilitation was a major component of the project. More than 700 cubic meters of land were levelled and prepared for new construction, while 189 square meters of block work and over 1,800 meters of new sidewalks were completed. This was further enhanced by 445 meters of sidewalk painting and over 1,200 square meters of tile and concrete casting, as well as 333 square meters of plastering, significantly improving the appearance and functionality of public spaces.
- Workers planted and maintained over 100 square meters of greenery, repaired 40 meters of damaged metal fencing, and rehabilitated eight children’s playground structures. Altogether, enhancements reached 47 streets.
- At the Al Ramosah recycling station, more than 516 cubic meters of debris were processed and transformed into construction materials. This included the production of nearly 11,000 tiles, 8,800 concrete blocks, over 7,300 sidewalk units, and 417 sidewalk bases—resources that were then reintegrated into the local infrastructure.