Turkey

An influx of millions of Syrian refugees has brought enormous challenges to host communities in Turkey, who are struggling to stretch their infrastructure, healthcare system, natural resources, and economy to meet the needs of so many.

The majority of the refugee population lacks access to the basic services necessary to rebuild their lives and begin to plan for their futures. The majority of refugees live in cities while camps near the Syrian border also provide temporary shelter. They face differing challenges in these settings but for most, their needs are immense. Many refugees that have crossed the border from Syria have complex injuries, both physical and emotional. Thousands of children and adults have sustained life-altering injuries due to the conflict. Lack of access to healthcare inside Syria has also caused pre-existing injuries and conditions to deteriorate. Mental health issues are commonplace from the trauma Syrians have experienced.

We began working from Turkey in 2013, with a focus on providing medical services and water trucking across the southern border into Syria. But as the Syrian crisis expanded to impact the country’s neighbors, so have our programs to meet the growing need in Turkey itself. We support both the refugee population and vulnerable members of the communities that host them.

Mental health services are one of the greatest needs among displaced Syrians. Relief International provides counseling and specialized support to children and adults suffering from these hidden wounds of war at more than ten centers across Turkey.

One and a half million people in Syria are currently living with permanent impairments, including over 80,000 who have lost limbs. We support six comprehensive rehabilitation centers that specialize in providing prosthetics, orthotics, and physical therapy for Syrians with disabilities. We also provide mental health counseling.

In addition to addressing refugees’ immediate needs, Relief International is working to better support displaced Syrians over the long-term by documenting their healthcare needs in partnership with Turkish universities and research centers.

“Most of our cases are of children exposed to war trauma or children with depression or extreme fear,” says psychologist Omniya Turk.

Omniya works alongside Relief International’s physiotherapists and mental health specialists in Istanbul to treat more than 100 patients each month, providing transformative care to both Syrians and members of the host community.

She sees a larger purpose in her day-to-day work, saying, “Ultimately, it’s a humanitarian mission to give hope to a future generation and to secure a better future for them.”