Türkiye’s Landscape: Challenges and Paths to Resilience
Photo by RET Türkiye, ©️ RET International
Article by RET Global Communications
ANKARA, TÜRKIYE – Türkiye continues to face a complex mix of social and economic challenges. High youth unemployment, a large informal workforce, and ongoing tensions between refugee and host communities shape the daily reality for millions. In this environment, targeted empowerment programs play a vital role.
RET International is actively working to address these gaps by offering vulnerable women and youth practical skills, social support, and opportunities to participate in community life. Through these efforts, RET helps strengthen resilience and contributes to global priorities such as education, health, gender equality, and poverty reduction. The true impact of this work is best understood through the lives it transforms.
Want to support our work across the world?
From Isolation to Belonging: Leyla’s New Beginning
Leyla, a 34-year-old Syrian woman living in Mardin, arrived at RET’s soap-making workshop shy and withdrawn. With only one friend from her past, she struggled to connect with others. The workshop became a turning point.
“I began to feel stronger,” she recalls. What she found was more than a skill—it was a community. Gradually, the supportive environment helped her rebuild confidence and form new relationships.
“Now, I am not shy anymore… I feel like I am part of a family here.” Along with her new social ties, Leyla now earns an income, reinforcing her belief that “all women should go out and be strong.”
Photo by RET Türkiye, ©️ RET International
Breaking Language Barriers: Alisa’s Path Forward
For many, language is the biggest barrier to opportunity. Alisa, a 54-year-old Chinese entrepreneur in Şanlıurfa, had lived in Türkiye for more than 15 years but still struggled with Turkish. Traditional courses hadn’t helped her progress.
RET International’s language program offered something different—interactive, practical sessions that focused on real communication. “I have never seen such effective language education,” she said.
The classroom became a space where she not only learned Turkish but also formed new friendships with classmates from Iraq, Iran, and Syria. For the first time, she felt confident pursuing her business goals.
Photo by RET Türkiye, ©️ RET International
Healing and Strength: Gada’s Circle of Support
Gada, a 51-year-old Syrian mother of five, was undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer when she learned about Leap Association. There, she found emotional support, meaningful activities, and a sense of community that helped her cope with both illness and displacement.
“This place is really good for my mental health,” she said. Surrounded by encouragement—from her doctor and her peers—she continued her treatments and later celebrated the news she hoped for: she was “completely clean.”
Photo by RET Türkiye, ©️ RET International
Building Sustainable Change
These stories reflect the broader impact of structured programs that combine vocational training, language education, psychosocial support, and awareness sessions. By equipping women and youth with skills, confidence, and community, these initiatives help build a more resilient and cohesive future for all.
These projects “Local Women’s Socio-Economic Empowerment and Social Skills Development as a Tool for Social Cohesion and Youth Empowerment” funded by Liechtenstein Government and “Turkish and English Language Learning Programme as a tool for Empowerment and Social Cohesion II” funded by BENGO are implemented by RET International in Türkiye.
To support our critical work across the world, make a donation to RET International today.
You must be logged in to post a comment.