The war in Syria has pushed many people to flee the country in search of a safe haven. Millions of Syrians were able to find refuge in neighbouring countries, including Turkey. Residing in camps away from cities, most of them saw their lives and dreams put on hold with limited opportunities for growth and personal fulfillment.
“When you lose your job you feel like you are losing your life and you can’t provide for yourself.”
Although various programmes to help refugees already exist, their usual aim is solely to secure basic needs such as food, shelter and schooling. For instance, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is strongly committed to the “agenda for humanity” and is working hand-in-hand with donors and partners to scale up economic opportunities for communities affected by refugee movements and natural disasters.
However, it is of great importance to equip displaced people with vocational skills so that they can provide for themselves and their families. The transfer of these skills for employment will also be useful to prepare them for a productive life when they return to their homes. This is the approach that informs UNIDO’s project entitled, “Vocational training on apparel manufacture for Syrians in Turkey”. Women and youth are benefiting from it by being provided with valuable skills for (self) employment. These people, some of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees are helped to regain their human dignity and to become more resilient.