The Impact of Vocational Training on the Poverty Level of Widowed Women "A field Study - the Villages of Widows in Northwestern Syria"

Abstract

This research aimed to measure the impact of vocational training programs on the poverty level among families headed by widowed women in the villages of northwest Syria, particularly in Idlib Governorate and its countryside. The research adopted the descriptive analytical method, and a questionnaire was administered to a sample of (850) widowed women from (23) widows' villages in the areas of (Atmeh, Qah, Kafr Lusin, Deir Hassan, Al-Kumouna, and Al-Dana), out of a total population of (1828) widows.

The results revealed a statistically significant inverse relationship between vocational training and poverty level, with the explained variance reaching only (1.5%) . This indicates that the impact of training on poverty is indirect; it enhances human capital and skills development, but transforming these skills into real income requires mediating factors such as financing and job opportunities. Accordingly, vocational training programs represent an important contributing factor, but they are insufficient on their own to reduce poverty.