Heal the Wounds in Turkiye

Following the earthquakes of February 6, the process of rebuilding everyday life began for many families. Mays and her family are among those who have been working step by step to overcome this difficult period.

Mays’s story began years ago in Syria. Due to the uncertainty in Syria, her family decided to seek a new beginning. Her husband came to Türkiye first to find work. Two years later, Mays joined him with their two children. “When we came to Türkiye, we took the first steps toward a new beginning for our family,” Mays recalls.

As they were trying to settle into their new life, their landlord, Fatma, became one of the family’s most important sources of support. When they struggled financially, she did not make an issue of delayed rent payments. More importantly, she never treated Mays’s children differently from her own. The bond they formed grew so strong that, when Mays had a daughter in 2020, she named her Fatma.

Just as the family’s life was beginning to settle into a routine, the February 6 earthquakes changed everything once again. Their home was destroyed, and they had to rebuild their lives from scratch. During this period, Mays and her family moved to a container settlement.

During this time, Mays received support through the activities carried out by the Association for Social Development and Aid Mobilization (ASAM). Her children, meanwhile, had the opportunity to spend time in child-friendly spaces, play, and reconnect with the familiar rhythms of everyday life.

The family later began the process of moving into a permanent home. As financial difficulties and the burden of rebuilding a household continued, Fatma once again stood by them and helped the family find a suitable home.

Mays’s greatest wish is for her children to feel well and be able to look to the future with hope. Her daughter Fatma already has a dream of her own: she wants to become a pediatrician when she grows up. “Perhaps she wants to pass on the kindness that was shown to us one day by helping others,” says Mays.

The story of Mays and her family shows that, following a disaster, recovery can be possible through small but meaningful steps. Today, as the family rebuilds its life after the challenges it has faced, they continue to hold on to their hopes for the future.

(Note: The names of the beneficiaries have been changed.)