b'IMPACT STATEMENT 2021Shining light on Syriasroad to recoverySplintered concrete, shattered glass and emptyTo support local Syrians to restore their pre-war buildingsthis was the landscape of the Syrian citypatterns of life, Crown Agents has been working of Raqqa in 2017, following an airstrike offensive thatalongside national implementing partners to deliver ousted the Islamic State from its stronghold. Afterearly recovery projects in the country. Several of more than three years of bombardment by air and fourthese were led by Alaa Abukaraki, Crown Agents months of urban fighting, the city was left in ruins.Crisis Response and Recovery Units Project Manager. When considering the immense challenge ofBased in Amman and having supported early recovery reconstruction in Syria, the rebuilding of homes,programmes for over 12 years, Alaa coordinates schools, hospitals and government buildings are theprogramme outreach with local partners, civil society first to come to mind. Yet what is often overlookedorganisations and the wider humanitarian community.is the vital importance of rehabilitating damagedTalking about the impact of the work, she stated, amenities such as phone services and electricity.These small-scale rehabilitation projects are not Destroyed electricity lines in Raqqa not only plungedsubject to political interference, and therefore remain homes into darkness, but also the streets. Withoutone of the most effective tools to prevent the collapse working streetlights, businesses in Raqqa were lessof public services. They help improve living and likely to extend opening hours into the evening, assecurity conditions for the Syrian people, as wellcustomers wouldnt venture into the unlit streets as reducing instability and wider obstacles to recovery past dusk. The limited footfall made earning anin Deir-ez-Zor and Raqqa.income extremely difficult. Alongside local partner, NAWAT, Alaa recently Dania Mohammed, a local woman who owns asupported a project to restore Raqqas streetlighting. pharmacy in Raqqa, spoke of the sheer difficulties Not only has this restoration work provided a safer she and her business faced during the conflict.environment for night-time vehicle traffic and Fear of war and death was a constant nightmare.pedestrians, but it has also brought about a sense On top of that, I was always afraid that my pharmacyof security and started to remove visible scars of would be robbed at night-time. [Without streetlights]war. Most importantly for pharmacist Dania though, the roads were very dismal and scary, especiallyrestored streetlighting has promoted business for women. I would close every day at 4pm as thereactivities and public interactions after sunset.werent enough people shopping in the evenings. It significantly reduced my revenue and we found ourselves becoming very poor. 18'