Since 2011, more than 6.6 million Syrians have been forced to leave their homes behind, fleeing the country as refugees. Of these, more than 3.6 million have fled to neighboring Turkey.

Although Turkey offers temporary protection status to registered Syrian refugees that includes access to public services such as healthcare, more advanced services like physical rehabilitation and mental health support are not included. These health services are only available through private sources, which are often too costly for most families to afford. And yet, these services are critical for helping refugees begin to heal from war-related injuries and past traumas.

Through our local partner Mülteciler Derneği, Relief International is providing physical rehabilitation and mental health services to refugees of all ages. Since we launched this program in 2017, 1,507 people have received individual mental health services, 360 people received group sessions and 1,810 more have been provided with regular physical therapy and rehabilitation sessions. Furthermore, it is estimated that 20,751 family members indirectly benefit from this program as their relatives’ physical and mental well-being improves.

Together, our work aims to create a more resilient refugee community in Turkey by providing the healthcare services that they need most to heal from past traumas. The project also works to reduce the burden on the Turkish healthcare system by subsidizing the cost and delivery of this specialized support.