Stories
December 12, 2024 • 3 min read
Nearly two years have passed since Fatima’s life was upended yet again. The devastating earthquakes of February 6, 2023, struck South-eastern Türkiye and Northern Syria with relentless force, killing more than 55,000 people and injuring tens of thousands more.
Fatima, a 27-year-old Syrian refugee from war-torn Idlib, has lived in Hatay for 12 years. For her and her family, surviving the catastrophic earthquake was bittersweet.
The house Fatima rented in Hatay province withstood the quakes, sparing her family. But the trauma endured by Fatima and her two young children, aged seven and eight at the time, left an enduring mark. One that would leave the young family living in a tent due to the trauma her young children now associated with their rented home.
Fatima, a 27-year-old Syrian refugee with nine-year-old daughter Amina, outside her home in Hatay Province, Turkey.
Reflecting on the aftermath of the disaster, she says,
“We stayed in a tent for two months because my children were too scared to stay in the house. I remember the freezing weather. But when the tents were removed, we had to return home.”
Despite returning to their home, survival remained an ongoing struggle. After the earthquakes, Fatima noticed her daughter, Hadiyah, struggling with medical issues she believed were related to post-traumatic stress.
“The children had problems,” she recalls, her voice weighed down by the memories. The medical care required by her children meant that Fatima couldn’t work for seven months.
Fatima heard about GOAL’s emergency hotline funded by the European Union (EU) and reached out. That connection would prove to be a turning point. “They gave me rent support. We were able to get hygiene kits and food,” she says.
A Helping Hand
GOAL’s Hatay office had been central to the post-earthquake response. It was there that Fatima met Dalya Tekgöz, a GOAL protection worker whose support has been vital to the family’s recovery.
“Dalya was assigned to us, and she helped get an appointment at the hospital,” says Fatima.
Amina pictured with Dalya Tekgöz, a GOAL protection worker.
Dayla also supported Fatima’s nine-year-old daughter, Amina, in accessing education. She was enrolled in public school and has been learning Turkish, which will support her greatly in her integration into the community.
Beyond Practical Support
Fatima speaks warmly of EU-funded GOAL’s support, which she says extends far beyond physical aid:
“It’s good even to hear Dalya’s voice,” she says, a simple but powerful acknowledgement of the emotional support that has helped her through the most challenging moments.
A Mother’s Resilience
Fatima’s daily life is defined by her resilience. Nowadays, she works as a seasonal agricultural labourer, harvesting olives, peppers, and other crops —hard-earned money for long hours of physically demanding work.
“When I leave for work, the kids go to school. But when there’s no school, I have to leave them with whoever is available,” she explains.
Amina, Fatima and Dalya together in Hatay.
Despite these challenges, Fatima is determined to provide for her children and give them a sense of stability in a life marked by displacement and uncertainty.
Thanks to the funding provided by the EU through its Humanitarian Aid Operations, GOAL has been able to provide vital assistance to over 290,000 individuals like Fatima and her family for over 5 years, helping them rebuild their lives in the aftermath of unimaginable loss and upheaval. For Fatima, GOAL’s support has brought not only tangible relief but also a sense of hope, community, and resilience.
