Here's how you can help:

• The Children’s Program
  • $100 a month/child to cover the cost of their pre-school, teachers, meals, supplies and transportation.
  • $1200 puts a child through a year of schooling, language training, trauma therapy, and community integration.
• The Vocational Program that trains women is critically important for the families; they are often the only breadwinners in the family as men are absent, cannot find work, or are disabled.
  • $2,500 for 20 women to receive 6 months of vocational training.  
  • $125 per woman covers the cost of a vocational teacher and supplies. 
    
• Emergency Care Program, which qualifies for Zakat, provides food and rent to the neediest of refugee families. 
  • $200 covers one month’s rent and food for a family of 6.
    

If you want to contribute to all three programs then a contribution of $425 would mean that one child can receive education, one woman can receive vocational training and one family will receive rent payment and food supplement for a month.

A Long Journey

Over 3 million refugees have found refuge in Turkey. About 65,000 of these refugees are living in the small industrial city of Kayseri located in Central Turkey.

The living conditions are appalling for many of these families – cold and damp cellars are regularly rented out - fathers cannot work and many have psychological scars and depression or in some cases, physical handicaps; the children have been witnesses to devastation and death, and mothers struggle to hold their families together. 

Coming to a new country where you cannot speak the language (Turkish) also adds another burden as it effectively cuts families off from the Turkish community and its services resulting in daily life struggles. Displaced from your home and isolated, they are now lost in a foreign land where nothing is familiar, every day is a struggle for survival.

OAK provides rays of hope and sunshine for the lives of these families.
Here are some of the stories of the brave little children that the centre has helped.

Brave Hanin
Hanin was one of the newest children to come to the centre. Her family recently arrived in Kayseri to receive medical care. Before that, they were living in a camp in Kilis having escaped the violence of war. Hanin was attending her first-grade class when her school was bombed. She had to have over 150 stitches in her head and her right leg is permanently crippled. Her father was also injured and is unable to work. After the bomb, Hanin didn’t speak for 3 months. She is finally speaking again and we are so happy to have her at the center where she has received warm clothing and a nutritious lunch every day. She is the first to arrive on Monday mornings and is so happy to be in a learning environment again.”

Five-year-old Mohammed
Mohammed’s family came to Kayseri from Latakia a year and a half ago. Mohammed, five years old, had been traumatized by the violence his family had experienced in his hometown. His mom described Mohammed hiding every time he saw a policeman in their neighborhood or heard a loud noise, even after moving to Kayseri. When Mohammed came to the centre with a girl from the neighborhood, he would stand in the corner, crying or in the playroom hitting and breaking toys. Today, after being a part of the project, he is full of smiles and confidence. He excitedly participates in the learning activities and socializes with his peers. In addition, Mohammed has begun to communicate in Turkish and can express his needs to his teachers.”

Little Abdul Kadir
When Abdul Kadir first came to the centre, it took all of our efforts to keep him from escaping. He couldn’t grasp the concept that the teachers were speaking to him in another language. It was evident that his inability to communicate frustrated and scared him. His frantic state required us to talk with his mom and she would come and sit with him during activities until he felt safe and could understand the routines. Today, Abdul Kadir still has trouble socializing with his peers, but he loves coming each day. His mom doesn’t have to come with him anymore. With everyone’s help, he is learning to use a public restroom. During the opening circle he joins in the singing and every once in a while we get to witness his sweet smile. Once we were able to get him settled into the routine, we discovered how bright he is. He has even begun to get his needs met by asking for things in Turkish. He is not the panicky, scared boy that first came to us.”

Why Open Arms in Kayseri (OAK)?

OAK operates in the city of Kayseri, Turkey which hosts approximately 65,000 of the 3.5 million refugees currently being hosted by Turkey. OAK is located in the Osmanli neighbourhood in Kayseri which has the highest concentration of refugees in the city.  The conditions in this neighbourhood are especially difficult with many social challenges that affect both the local Turkish and refugee population.    

In 2015, a group of volunteers regularly provided emergency care and relief for locals and refugees.  In doing so, they built a strong presence and trust in the community.  Through these interactions, these committed volunteers realized the need for a sustainable approach and implementation of educational and vocational programs.  In March of 2016, OAK was registered as a charity and began formal operations. 

In the last 2 years, OAK has provided Turkish language training and education to over 130 children,150 young girls and 100 women.

The centre needs $250,000 to cover the yearly cost of all its operations, programs, and services but is reaching out to the global community of donors for $40,000 to maintain its current programs and avoid indefinite closure. Sadly, we’ve already had to shut down the children’s program as a result of our funding gap. 

Children’s Education Project

The OAK children’s education project strives to facilitate the successful integration of children into the Turkish school system and society.  OAK is committed to the removal of the educational gap that many refugee children face due to the war.  OAK strives to provide resources for the children to deal with the trauma and loss that they have faced and to build their self-confidence and give them a sense of normalcy.

Through hands-on experiences such as nature walks, field trips, and art therapy workshops, children have had the opportunity to build their self-confidence and heal from trauma and loss.  We have also organized community partnerships which have allowed for community integration and the building of friendships between local and refugee populations

 

Youth Program (ages 14-18)

Young girls between the ages of 14-18 are the most vulnerable group amongst the refugee population.  They have faced many challenges such as loss of a family member, hidden disabilities like shrapnel wounds, and the psychological trauma of war.  Many of these girls are also at risk of getting married at a very young age, and as a result, often stay uneducated.  Turkish Language Classes allow girls to successfully integrate into public school and university.  Furthermore, proficiency in the Turkish language removes the barriers to successful integration into Turkish society.

We have also organized many field trips and social outings that have served as a therapeutic tool which allows them to destress from the many day-to-day challenges they face as refugees.  Community event and partnerships with local universities have provided wonderful mentorship and integration opportunities.

 

Women’s Project (Educational and Vocational Training)

Many of the women who attend the programs at OAK are widows and have small children.  This makes many language and skills training opportunities inaccessible.  The OAK centre creates a “home environment” for the women where Turkish language lessons and Islamic lessons are conducted.

Many parenting and motivational seminars have been conducted to empower the women.  Events, such as community breakfasts have brought the community together 

The vocational training provided by OAK is to help women regain their dignity and equip them with the tools to take control of their lives.  It is difficult for many women to work outside of their home.  Through the crochet project, women responsible for taking care of their families are being given the tools to earn money.  This project also serves as a therapeutic and confidence building tool. These inspirational mothers take the trauma of their lives and transform it into something beautiful.

Emergency Care

OAK provides emergency help to the neediest of families with food and rent supplements. Many of these families are orphan families or new arrivals to the city and have no money. Families that receive food supplies on a regular basis are those in which there is no working-aged male in the household or where the wage-earner is otherwise disabled.