Education Versus Lost Generation!

Aise whose father lost his life in the civil war in Syria, is 14 years old and the eldest child of a family with five children. Aise, her mother and siblings came to Türkiye by way of irregular migration routes six years ago. Her mother remarried in Türkiye and she had two more children from her marriage.

The family expressed that one of the top priorities is to keep their children’s education. All school-age children in the house are continuing their education.

While Aise, Omer and Fatima maintain their education, Mehmed and Hulud need breast milk and care. The mother, whose profession is a nurse in Syria, says that she is unable to work owing to taking care of her children.

After Aise and her family moved to another house, Aise was out of school due to the lack of quota at the school in the region. During this process, the family was upset and couldn’t find any solution thereby they consulted to Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants (ASAM) and asked for support. ASAM reached the schools in the region and went to school with the family by providing vehicle and interpreter support. After the re-registration process was completed, Aise returned to school.

Aise, who is in the last year of secondary school and preparing for the High School Exams, says that she also attends High School Exams Preparation Course. She addes that her interest towards lessons has increased since she returned to school and she likes most chemistry and physics lessons.

Aise wants to be a nurse likewise her mother. Her mother smiled and said, “My daughter wants to be a nurse because I am a nurse. And I tell her that I'm already a nurse, and you should be a doctor." said.

The mother also addes that she gives importance to the education of children and that the education of girls should be supported, she and Aise express thanks to ASAM for their support.

Note: The real name of the beneficiaries has been changed.

‘When I was in Syria, my school was bombed and I lost my friends.  Having wanted to continue my education, I studied by myself…’ These words belong to 23 years old Muhammed. He had to leave his home and the place in which he was born and raised when he was just 15. When he arrived in Turkey, he was trying to learn Turkish and contribute to his family’s income by working in texture production.

Muhammed, preparing for the Foreigner Student Exam and enrolled in The Faculty of Medicine with the high score he received, explains why he chose the medicine faculty with these words ‘ I saw the importance of being a doctor notably after what I have experienced the war in my country. I was drastically affected by wounded people and I decided to be a doctor. Being a doctor under that severe circumstances was very crucial. Besides, I desire to be helpful and alter the lives.’

Muhammed wants to be a neurologist or surgeon, telling refugee young people have to separately take each universities’ exam and pay tuition for each exam. Muhammed, says ‘We barely pay exam tuition fees and economic challenges after enrolling the university are still continuing. I feel embarrassed towards my family. It is very tough to work and study medicine at the same time as I also attend classes and study. Furthermore, the price of books is quite high.

Muhammed expresses his thanks towards ASAM and GlobalGiving by saying ‘I could pay tuition last year with the cash assistance receiving from ASAM. In addition to these, consultancy services provided by Asam and the Turkish language course were supportive in my life.’.

 Note: The beneficiary's real name has been changed.

His name is Hasan, 22 years old, nominating to be a doctor…. Hasan came to Turkey with his family five years ago due to war in his country. After learning Turkish, he took an examination for foreign students (YÖS) and he is in 3rd grade in Medical Faculty now. Hasan would like to express his gratitude towards both Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and GlobalGiving for providing book support within ‘Education Versus Lost Project’.

‘During the war in Syria my grandfather fell ill, unfortunately, we couldn’t help him. I decided to be a doctor in order to help people’ says Hasan. He aims to specialize in one of the fields of genetics, cardiology, or internal medicine in the future. He is reminding the doctor’s struggle during the Covid-19 pandemic. Hasan adds ‘Doctor's struggle encouraged me for doctorship. I hope we don’t face with another pandemic, if it happens, I want to work with other doctors at the forefront of pandemic.

Due to the fact that young refugees need financial support to enroll in universities,they are supposed to take foreign student examination requiring an enrollment fee, says Hasan. In addition, he states that ‘In order to pay their rents students need to work since their family cannot financially support them after enrolling in universities. Furthermore, families have cut off their kitchen expenses with a view to supporting their children. Families need to make big sacrifices.’.

Hasan, thanks on behalf of young refugees to ASAM and GlobalGiving for their support. ‘They have been conducting good projects to support young students. Education is very essential, with the education we have been receiving here, we will build a better future once we return to our country. I had support in buying my books which means a lot to me.’ says Hasan.

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

As the Syrian war completes its 11th year, four sisters who had to leave their country dreams about the future in view of going to school in Turkey. The sisters have left behind the ravages of the war thanks to psychosocial activities conducted in the Association for Solidarity with Asylum-Seekers and Migrants (ASAM). The sisters both sing in the children's choir and take instrument lessons. Thanks to school which children see as the key to the future, they can aim to reach their dream job. Along with psychosocial support, they are just a few of the children who are chasing their dreams by gaining access to education.

The family came to Turkey due to the Syrian War in 2015. The children starting school have not just learned Turkish but have made Turkish friends as well. Sema, 12, is singing songs in both Arabic and Turkish languages in the child choir. Sema’s favorite lesson is Turkish and she wants to be a guitar instructor when she is grow up. Sema says that ‘I like music and choir very much. It is very overjoyed for me to be friends together and sing, I am very happy.’

Rim, 17, going to 9th class. Her favorite lesson is English and she has many friends from school. Rim, who says she is very happy at school, dreams of becoming a doctor and healing sick children in the future. Rim likes to play guitar, likewise Sema. She tells that she has experienced great alterations in her life thanks to choir lessons in ASAM and made new friends, thus becoming more comfortable in her social life.

Nur, 15 years old, going to 7th class. Her favorite lesson is math. She says that her Turkish is improving and having more friends on account of going to school. She wants to be a lawyer in the future. Nur tells ‘I didn’t know anything regarding choir and instrument at first, however, I felt happier after the lessons had begun. When I see my success at rhythm courses, I believe in myself to be successful in any other areas.’ Even though she wants to be a lawyer in the future, she has more dreams: being a darbuka maker, going to other countries and traveling a lot…

Umran, 10 years old, is going to 6th grade of school, is dreaming about being a police officer. She says ‘I like my school teachers, I have increased my Turkish friends and improved Turkish language skills. My favorite lesson is Turkish since I love my teacher so much’..  Umran is attending choir activities like her sisters and she says ‘ I learned new songs at ASAM Child Choir as well as singing songs' rules. I have good times with my friends.’ Umran’s biggest dream is traveling Europe and meeting new people. Also, she wants to sing in different languages.

‘Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants’ has been operating activities in the field of migration for more than a quarter of a century. Currently, ASAM continues its activities with more than 56 offices in 31 provinces and carries out studies to remove the barriers related to children’s access to education and provide support by providing access to education for out-of-school children. In this context, since 2020, more than 36.000 children have been enrolled in school and access to education has been achieved.

(NOTE: Real names of beneficiaries have been changed.)

MY DREAM IS TO STAND ON MY FEET

According to UNESCO’s data, 258 million children and youth are out of school, 617 million children and adolescents cannot read and even do simple math. Nearly 4 million children and youth asylum seekers cannot go to school. Turkey hosts hundreds of thousands of children and youth asylum seekers who have overcome their bad luck and aim to make their dreams come true by providing education opportunities. Sidra K. is one of these young people, 21 years old. She came from Syria to Turkey when she was 14. Sidra continues university for a better life with the support of her mother who was married at a young age. Sidra is a third-year student at Çukurova University Faculty of Economics, she would like to get a master’s and doctorate to have a great job.

Sidra was in Aleppo with her family when the Syrian War began. She had to study by candlelight for two years because of the war. After Sidra, her mother and her sister fled from Syria to Adana, she started to the second grade of High School. Sidra said that she got used to school and Turkish easily because she loved her Turkish teacher at school. Explaining that her mother is the biggest supporter in her education life, Sidra said, “My mother could only study until the 6th grade. She goes to language courses in Turkey. I learned a lot from her. One of them is not to give up. My goal is to enroll in a university. What my mother wants most is for me to stand on my own feet after completing my education. Her motivation in life and not giving up is an example to me.” Sidra works hard for the foreign student exam and she wants to buy a house for her family after she works.

She highlights that education has crucial importance in the life of refugees. She says ‘Individuals can cope with difficulties and become strong thanks to education. This is implied both for women and men. When you come here, you know nothing and you don't know anyone. Where will you stay? Where will you work? When you get an education and develop yourself, you can work and take care of yourself and your family, and you can do everything you need yourself.”

Seref Mert Yoleri, Director of Adana Al Farah Child and Family Support Center which run by the Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants (SGDD-ASAM) partnered with UNICEF, said that Sidra has joined psychosocial events in the center since she came to Turkey, thus the center provides Sidra’s not only social cohesion with locals but also knowledge of a new country's trust. Yoleri, also attention to the importance of education for peace and development, said that Al Farah Child and Family Supports Center supports the enhancement of psychosocial well-being, social cohesion activities, and providing information and knowledge needed in life to asylum seekers and their families.

“We provide referral and counseling via Al Farah Child and Family Support Center in different cities in Turkey to provide education services to out-of-school children and enhance the rate of enrolment. Once a child began his/her education, we also give necessary referrals or counseling to adapt to the school and to refer for benefit from psychological psychological support mechanisms and counseling system. Yoleri also explains that they refer adults to educational training for their participation in employment and organize activities for parents to the importance of education.