People On the Move, Suspended Futures

Amina's life was shaped by discipline, science, and responsibility for many years. She was a biology teacher in Syria; lab classes, cells examined under microscopes, and the world of living things she explained to her students formed her routine. However, political uncertainty in her country transformed this structured life into a forced migration. When she arrived in Türkiye, she faced a completely new world: a different city, a new language, and an uncertain future.

Amina embraced this profound change with the same determination she had for years. Her encounter with the Association for Social Development and Aid Mobilization (ASAM) marked the beginning of a new chapter for her. Through the counseling she received there, she first joined a painting course and later participated in a sewing workshop. While improving her skills through language courses and entrepreneurship training, her true transformation began when she picked up a paintbrush.

The teacher who spent years immersed in rational science has been replaced by an artist who expresses her emotions through colors. Today, her home is adorned with her own paintings. "I have paintings in every corner of my house," Amina says with a smile. "They remind me that this process is a journey of learning and healing that should never end."

The sewing workshop represented much more than just a personal skill; it was a social connection for Amina.  Delivering the clothes they produced within the workshop to those in need in the earthquake zone was an unforgettable experience for her.

One of the unforgettable moments in Amina's memory was watching a volleyball match from the stands during ASAM's International Women's Day events on March 8th. Being a part of that enthusiastic atmosphere, which she had only seen on screens before, made her feel alive again. 

I found that little girl inside me again here, the one I thought I had lost,” says Amina. “While painting, creating in the studio, or excitedly watching a match in a crowded stadium… that girl has rejoined life. You never let go of my hand, and I never let go of the little girl inside me.”

(Note: The beneficiary’s real name has been changed.)