Turkiye has been hosting the world’s largest refugee population since 2014. According to UNHCR, there are currently 3.7 million Syrians under temporary protection, more than 300.000 refugees from other nationalities, and asylum seekers under international protection in Turkiye. According to The Presidency of Migration Management, there are more than 100.000 registered refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran in Kayseri. However, Iranian, Afghan and Iraqi refugees are disproportionally disadvantaged when accessing rights, services, and opportunities due to registration problems and limited services designed only for refugees under temporary protection. Additional gaps in education, livelihoods, and economic opportunities are prevailing. Refugee women, especially, are facing sociocultural obstacles, including stereotypical gender roles, limited participation in the labour force and lack of female role models, and limited financial access, skills, and awareness about acquiring knowledge.
RET’s project, “Multi-sectoral Approach for Fostering #Resilience among Non-Syrian Refugee and Vulnerable Host Communities” funded by the UK Embassy in Ankara has reached more than 4800 women and men from the host and refugee communities in Kayseri to date.
RET has provided women in Kayseri with Technical and Vocational Training (TVET) focused on artisanal and natural local products, complemented with capacity-building training. Within the TVET activities, RET established two ateliers, a sewing and embroidery atelier and a local food production atelier. So far, RET has provided training and income-generating opportunities to more than 84 women working in the ateliers. RET has also provided women with training capacity building, tackling multiple topics including marketing, social media, leadership, problem-solving, business plan development, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, networking, product development, women’s enterprises, and social enterprises for refugees.
Within the scope of the project, RET delivered social cohesion training to more than 2100 beneficiaries from the host and refugee communities living in Kayseri. RET has implemented a quick language program to support refugees in Kayseri with Turkish language skills. So far, 150 refugees have completed Turkish Language Courses through the project.
Finally, RET raised awareness against gender-based violence (GBV), reaching more than 970 people from the refugee and host communities and more than 1350 through information dissemination sessions on sexual and reproductive health (SRH).
