Disaster Response
Child Development
Clean Water
Hunger Relief
Medical Care
TURKEY – At 15, Fatma knows what it is to be on the run. When she was just 5 years old, her family was one of many that fled war-ravaged Syria, seeking security and the chance at a new life as refugees in Turkey.
They felt safe in their new home—until a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit southern and central Turkey in 2023, causing widespread devastation and tens of thousands of fatalities. Buildings toppled, roads buckled, and entire neighborhoods vanished. Fatma’s home was destroyed. Once again, this Turkish child refugee was left with nothing.
Crisis Recovery for Syrian Refugees in Turkey
For a while, Fatma and her family lived in a makeshift shelter constructed from items they found along the road. While her mother looked after the eight children, her father worked at a job doing manual labor. When the family eventually had a chance to move to a camp for Syrian refugees, a more permanent sort of home, it meant starting all over—again.
That’s when your love changed everything for Fatma. She began coming to a community center that friends like you helped established to provide food, water, and shelter for refugee children in Turkey after the earthquake. There, Fatma attended English classes and learned the language quickly. She even began helping our team as a translator.
Educational Support and Long-Term Relief
Even though Fatma is not currently able to attend an official school, she is taking full advantage of educational programs offered through the center, surrounded by a loving, supportive community. There, she can learn and grow, alongside other children who want to discover more about the world around them.
That’s why the center means so much to Fatma! After years of being on the run, she has found a warm, safe place where she can feel like part of a community and dream about a better future—something she hasn’t had much opportunity to do in her short life. You made that possible!
Thank you for caring and coming to the aid of teenagers around the world—children whose lives have been impacted by forces beyond their control. Your loving embrace truly does make an incredible difference for refugees in Turkey.