Photo by RET.

Article by Ali Selim Kara, Communications Officer for LEAP

When refugees arrive in a new country, language is often a major barrier to connecting with their host communities. In Türkiye, and in partnership with LEAP, we’ve been making strides in breaking down these barriers through our Turkish and English Language Learning Program.  

The program seeks to empower refugees and promote stronger social ties between the two communities by improving communication and providing opportunities for informal interactions.  By offering Turkish language courses, we aim to empower participants to independently integrate into their communities, opening doors to social, educational, and professional opportunities. 

Photo by RET.

In a recent interview, Muhammed Halil, a 53-year-old Syrian participant in Şanlıurfa, shared his inspiring journey since migrating from Syria to Türkiye a decade ago due to the conflict.  

“The classes are vibrant and dynamic, involving games and enjoyable activities. While having fun, we are learning Turkish and spending quality time.”

Muhammed, who worked in agriculture in Syria, continued his labor in the agricultural sector upon arriving in Türkiye, moving through various regions including Mersin, Antalya, Gaziantep, and Hatay before settling in Şanlıurfa. 

During his early days in Türkiye, Muhammed and his wife faced the daunting task of finding their way in a new country, compounded by the challenge of not speaking Turkish. Overcoming most obstacles, they still grappled with the persistent language barrier, leading them to join RET’s Turkish language courses in Şanlıurfa. 

Muhammed shared his thoughts on the program, saying, “To enroll in language education, we applied to the Vocational Training Center here, and they introduced us to RET International. We have been attending RET’s Turkish language courses with my wife for the past two weeks. The classes are vibrant and dynamic, involving games and enjoyable activities. While having fun, we are learning Turkish and spending quality time.” 

“I am very pleased to be able to speak Turkish at a basic level. Occasionally, my wife and I practice speaking Turkish together. When we go home, we practice what we learned in class by speaking Turkish with our children.”

Describing RET’s language trainers, Muhammed emphasized, “The attitude of our trainers is warm and helpful, and they make a considerable effort to teach us Turkish vocabulary and sentence patterns that will be useful in our daily lives.” 

Photo by RET.

Despite the relatively short duration, Muhammed expressed his satisfaction, stating, “Despite the short time, I am very pleased to be able to speak Turkish at a basic level. Occasionally, my wife and I practice speaking Turkish together. When we go home, we practice what we learned in class by speaking Turkish with our children.” 

Muhammed extended his gratitude to RET for providing this invaluable opportunity, emphasizing the positive impact it has had on their lives. The language learning program not only equips participants with linguistic skills but also empowers them to navigate and contribute to their communities independently.  

Stories like Muhammed’s underscore the transformative potential of breaking down language barriers and promoting social cohesion within Türkiye’s diverse communities.

To help us continue this critical work in Türkiye, consider making a recurring donation to RET today.