Moving Lives Forward for Children on the Move

“A country I had never known, a language I couldn’t understand, and faces I had never seen before…” This is how Ghada describes what she felt when she arrived in Türkiye amid the uncertainties in Syria.

What an adult may worry about can sometimes turn into a game—or discovery—for a child. And for Ghada’s children, Jana and Hasan, this is exactly how their story began.

When they arrived in Türkiye in 2013, Jana was only eight years old. Today, she is 21. As she looks back on those days, she still smiles: “While my mother and father were trying to learn Turkish, my sibling and I picked it up very quickly at school. Sometimes, we would even speak Turkish at home so that no one else could understand us… as if we had our own secret language.”

For them, Turkish was not a lesson at first; it became a small game they created among themselves, a secret, a little world of their own. Over time, that little world grew. New friendships were formed, new memories were made, and a new life slowly began to take shape.

One of the most unforgettable moments of this story took place on April 23rd, National Children’s Day, thousands of children came together at an event organized by the Association for Social Development and Aid Mobilization (ASAM). Jana was among them. She says,
“As soon as I entered the area, I started running. I played with all the toys over and over again. I still can’t fully describe the happiness I felt that day.” That day was not just an event; it was one of those moments when a child feels a sense of belonging and can laugh freely.

Meeting ASAM was not just about entering a new environment; it marked the beginning of a space where she could truly express herself for Jana. She joined the children’s choir, attended regular weekly sessions, and received guitar and rhythm lessons from conservatory instructors. She says, “I feel very happy when I sing. Those are the moments when I can express myself best.”

What began as a journey into the unknown has become a story of belonging, resilience, and hope. Thanks to safe spaces, supportive environments, and opportunities for learning and development, children like Jana learned a new language while also finding their own voices.”

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