Sustaining Resilience Through Ongoing Challenges

With the financial support from EU Humanitarian Aid, Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and LWA support people like Fatima with every step for a positive change and help women through difficult times.

"I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, I didn't know what to do. I feel so much better and peaceful now.“

A decade ago, Fatima and her family fled war from Syria and found refuge in Turkiye. At the age of 15, she faced the distressing experience of being forcibly married to a relative by her family, where she suffered psychological, physical and social abuse. The early marriage ended within a year, but her difficulties continued.

She married again in Turkiye, where she and her son from the first marriage were subjected to physical, verbal and psychological abuse. Fatima, again, made the brave decision to leave her second husband and seek refuge in different city, with her three children.

When Fatima contacted the Leader Women Association (LWA), she was struggling with sleeping and eating problems. She faced the difficult task of rebuilding her life from scratch.

LWA supported her with assistance and helped her regain her right to determine her own future.  Fatima received information about her legal rights in Turkiye. One of the first steps was to secure safe accommodation for her and her children to ensure their protection, she was also provided rental assistance while they awaited access to public funds.

Fatima's journey was not simple, but her constant efforts combined with the tailored support she received enabled her to transform her life. Fatima made remarkable progress. She describes the change in her life with the following words:

"I feel so much better now. I am more peaceful now. I can sleep. I dress in color. I changed the house, I totally did this myself. I found the new house myself, went and updated my address record.”