Featured image: Amin (second from right) with classmates and LEAP personnel (Photo by RET)

Article by Ali Selim Kara, Communications Officer for LEAP

As part of RET’s localization strategy, RET and LEAP have worked together on a number of projects in Türkiye, with LEAP acting as a local implementing partner. For this project, LEAP led the implementation.

In 2017, Amin and his family arrived in Türkiye, seeking refuge from Iraq due to his daughter’s illness. The challenges they faced – Amin’s visual disability, language barriers, and adapting to a new environment – were overwhelming. However, their story took a positive turn when they enrolled in the “Increasing Resilience of Refugees and Vulnerable Host Community Members and Fostering Peaceful Co-Existence in Çorum” project implemented by LEAP in Çorum.

Amin recalls the early days in Türkiye as a time of hardship: His visual disability and the complexities of his daughter’s illness compounded with the unfamiliarity of the Turkish language made daily life a struggle. Limited to their home for the first three years, Amin faced communication barriers, relying on interpreters for hospital visits and social interactions.

“Through this language course, I learned many new Turkish words, improved my language skills, and had plenty of opportunities to practice… The sincere and supportive approach of our trainer made me feel very safe and comfortable as a visually disabled person.”

But all that soon began to change: “In the summer of 2023, I got acquainted with LEAP’s community center in Çorum, and as soon as I learned that they offer free Turkish language courses, I enrolled. I cannot express how happy I was to learn Turkish!”

LEAP’s Turkish language courses became a turning point for Amin, providing engaging and enjoyable classes, and helping him expand his vocabulary while also finding a supportive community. He added, “Through this language course, I learned many new Turkish words, improved my language skills, and had plenty of opportunities to practice. The classes were extremely fun and beneficial. The sincere and supportive approach of our trainer made me feel very safe and comfortable as a visually disabled person.”

(Photo by RET)

“Usually, I am extremely shy and reserved, but our instructor’s attention, inclusion in every activity, and teaching Turkish through fun games boosted my self-confidence.” Learning Turkish became more than just acquiring a new skill for Amin. It became a means of empowerment.

LEAP’s influence extended beyond language education. Amin formed connections with people from different nationalities, breaking down barriers and fostering unity. He said: “Thanks to LEAP, I not only improved my Turkish language skills but also made many friends from different nationalities. During breaks, we used to chat and make jokes together. Making jokes in Turkish with my Turkish friends, in particular, was a joyful experience.”

Grateful for the transformation in his life, Amin describes LEAP as his second family. The organization not only facilitated language acquisition but also provided a supportive community where friendships flourished. Amin expresses deep gratitude to LEAP for the positive impact on his life, and RET is proud to be a partner with LEAP in Türkiye.

To help us continue this critical work and reinforcing the capacity of local NGOs in Türkiye, consider making a recurring donation to RET today.

This article is prepared in the scope of the “Community-based Local Initiatives Project (CLIP 2)”, co-funded by the European Union through its Humanitarian Aid Operations department (ECHO) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Its content covers humanitarian aid activities implemented with the financial assistance of the European Union and should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of the commissioning parties.