By ASAM | Project Leader
Shems was only 8 years old when she came to Türkiye from Syria. When she and her family set foot in Türkiye to start a new life, the biggest challenge for her was the language barrier. A new country, a new language and an unfamiliar culture…Going to school became a source of anxiety for Shems. Although her family made a great effort to encourage her education, Shems began to withdraw from school due to the bullying she experienced from his peers.
Shems’ story took a different turn with the school enrollment project. Her family applied to Association for Social Development and Aid Mobilization (ASAM)'s offices for their daughter to be included in education again. Here, a new door opened for Shems, who found the opportunity to socialize and reconnect with education.
"I used to be so afraid of getting lost in a place where I didn’t know the language that I couldn’t even leave the house," says Shems, who began learning Turkish at the age of ten. Thanks to her love for books and her quick learning ability, she became fluent in Turkish in just three short years.
She regularly attended various workshops and empowerment sessions organized by ASAM. During this process, her self-confidence grew, and her hopes for the future began to blossom.
"With these workshops, I realized that I could build a new life for myself. I joined all the courses and worked on improving myself. My family has always been by my side because they value education deeply," she says.
Shems now has a big dream to write a book in Turkish. Through this book, she hopes to build a bridge of understanding between children in Türkiye and those who have come from Syria.
"I want to take a step toward helping us understand each other better. This book could be a voice for both me and other children," she says.
Shems also thanked ASAM for supporting her during this transformation process in her life and said, "It was a turning point for me. They offered me a new life."
(Note: The real name of the beneficiary has been changed.)
By ASAM | Project Leader
By SGDD-ASAM | Project Leader
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