Moving Lives Forward for Children on the Move

Rana, who lives in Aleppo city of Syria, had to migrate to Türkiye with her family in 2016 when she was 9 years old due to the internal turmoil that began in the country. Rana, who is now 16 years old, has a mental disability of 70%. Unable to receive education while in Syria due to lack of suitable education opportunities, Rana was able to attend school only after coming to Türkiye with her family.

Rana currently lives with her 28-year-old brother Alan, who is married and has a child. The house is home to two families, comprising a total of 9 persons. Rana’s mother, Aisha (53), and her father Roy (61), attach importance to their children’s’ education. Rana also has a 19-year-old sister named Maher and 14-year-old twin brothers named Ramee and Zia.

In 2020, Rana’s mother Aisha crossed paths with Association for Social Development and Aid Mobilization (ASAM)’s Support for School Enrollment Programme team. ASAM provided Aisha with counselling on the importance of education to enable the schooling of her children, and also gave information about the education system in Türkiye and made referrals. Since Rana requires special education due to her state of disability, her mother Aisha wanted to take her daughter out of school when in 5th grade on account that she was unable to understand the courses. With the guidance of the SSE Programme team, it was ensured that Rana continues her education life without any disruptions. Rana attended the same school and thus, completed her middle school education after studying in the special education class until the end of 8th grade.

Rana did not know how to continue her education life after graduating from middle school and remained out of school for a year due to the language barrier. Having to constantly stay home during this period made Rana unhappy, making her mother feel bad about it as well. The SSE Programme team found out about this situation during their follow-up calls and invited Aisha to the ASAM office. At the Association, Aisha was provided with counseling on the school enrollment procedures required for Rana’s schooling. The necessary actions to take during this period were planned and it was decided to accompany the family and provide them with transportation and interpretation support.

Owing to the support of ASAM’s SEE Programme team, an assessment report was first obtained from the Guidance and Research Center (GRC) which operates under the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Türkiye. Afterward, the District Directorate of National Education decided on Rana’s placement to enroll her in an appropriate education opportunity. Her family was not familiar with the location of the school in which she was placed. Therefore, ASAM accompanied the family by continuing to offer transportation and interpretation support during the school enrollment period. Consequently, Rana’s stage 3 placement was achieved in the Special Education Practice School in the city where she lived, and Rana was enrolled in school. Rana also benefited from the school’s bus support. She continued school for a year without any problems. Currently in 10th grade and in her second year of school, Rana conveyed how happy she is during the follow-up interviews. She also expressed that she spends time with her mother and siblings at home and has quite good communication with her family. Rana’s family thanked ASAM’s SSE Programme team, noting that Rana would have remained out of school if not for this support.

Rana can now speak Arabic fluently enough to express herself and what she wants, she can give simple answers to questions, and can sometimes understand what is spoken with the help of her mother or siblings. Rana can also understand Turkish on a basic level and can form sentences. Owing to the education she received, Rana is now able to overcome the barriers.

(Note: The real name of the beneficiary has been changed.)

“Hatice's favorite subjects include science and mathematics. Her interest in nature causes her to join environmental clubs at school for a sustainable environment. By taking an active role in this field, she aims to benefit society as an environmental engineer in the future.”

Hatice, who grew up under the wearing effects of the war, is on the road to success thanks to her determination despite the difficult life conditions. Hatice, 15, states that she and her family came to Türkiye seeking for a better life during the Syrian civil war. Hatice, who had to leave her country behind at the age of 9, has to deal with difficulties such as language barrier and foreignness at first.

The family, who did not know anyone and did not speak Turkish as of the moment they set foot in Türkiye, made great efforts despite the difficult process they had been through, even though Hatice was still a child. Thanks to his passion for education, her love for school has never waned. She even states with a smile that she was the one who taught Turkish to his family and friends.

After coming to Türkiye, another happy news comes to her family, Hatice has a new sister. Hatice talks about how important it is for her sister to get an education. The fact that her mother worked as a nurse in Syria seems to reinforce the family's belief in education and especially in the success of girls.

Hatice's favorite subjects include science and mathematics. Her interest in nature causes her to join environmental clubs at school for a sustainable environment. By taking an active role in this field, she aims to benefit society as an environmental engineer in the future.

Hatice, who also improved herself socially, states that her relationships with her friends were full of difficulties at first, but she gained the appreciation of her friends with her sincerity and success. "They were ostracized at first, but as they got to know me and realized I was successful, they became friends with me," she says.

Hatice and her family express their gratitude to Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants (ASAM), which has been with them since they came to Türkiye. She adds that ASAM opens the door to a hopeful future with psychological support for the family that has been under the traumatic effects of the war. Stating that she also attended workshops and events, Hatice adds, "I felt empowered as I could express myself there. It is my biggest dream to study at a good university and become a good engineer."

Despite the devastating effects of the war, Hatice's story shows how it is possible to look to the future with hope thanks to her determination and the value she places on education.