Two years ago, on 6 February 2023, a series of devastating earthquakes hit southern Türkiye and northern Syria, killing more than 53,000 people and leaving millions without homes and livelihoods.
Humanitarian needs remain immense and those impacted have been left to pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives from the ashes. For Syrians, including Syrian refugees in Türkiye, the earthquakes added more pain, loss and destruction to lives already ravaged by years of war.
Ahead of this anniversary, we spoke to Syrian refugee women in Türkiye who are striving against all the odds to build dignified and hopeful futures.
“An earthquake that shook our entire lives”
Mona, a 36-year-old single mother, moved to Iskenderun, Türkiye, with her five children in 2012 from Syria, to escape the civil war that had torn her home country apart. Life wasn’t easy as the sole provider for her family, but she worked hard as a cleaner to make ends meet and put food on the table. She was determined to build a secure and safe life for her children.
The night the first earthquake struck was one she’ll never forget.
“We got out with our arms empty. We only took with us our fear. That night, our dreams fell on us. I couldn’t think straight. I just screamed. We ran outside in the dark, heavy rain soaking our feet in the mud. I held my children as tight as I could under the porch of a nearby building. We were shivering, but not from the cold; from fear."
Luckily they all got out alive, but sadly Mona lost her 19-year-old nephew who was buried under the rubble when his home collapsed. Mona’s family spent two months living on the streets, often going without food, but eventually they found somewhere to rent and began to rebuild their life. “We are still just trying to recover and survive. But we are not stable,” she says.
The family relies on cash assistance provided by CARE International as part of an aid project funded by the European Union. With rising inflation, many families, and especially refugees, suffer from poverty in the earthquake-affected region of the country.
"Sometimes, I borrow money from neighbours and other times, I sell some of our belongings to cover the needs of my children... Every day, I wake up wondering how I will feed my children today.”
Despite all the challenges, Mona is determined to build a better and brighter future for her children.
“Two years after the earthquakes, we still need job opportunities and more long-term investment in the people and all the affected communities here in Türkiye. Our children need quality education. I’m not asking for the impossible. I just want an opportunity for a dignified life for my children. They must go to school without fear and feel safe in their home.
We need the world to stand by us to help us build a better future wherever we are.” - Mona
"We are not just numbers or sad stories. We are people who dream and struggle.”
Rana*, 33, was a teacher in Idlib, Syria before fleeing to Türkiye with her family in 2015. Following the earthquakes in 2023, her husband sold their belongings and borrowed money to travel abroad in search of work, hoping to be able to reunite with his family in better conditions. For over a year now, Rana has not heard back from him, and she has no information about his whereabouts. She is now the sole caretaker and provider for their seven children.
“Every night, I stand by the window, look at the sky, and wonder if the aid support will continue and how I will secure my children’s future. I don’t want just temporary aid. I want to learn a new skill, find work, and give my children a dignified life, but my options are limited.”
Prices of everyday items the family need to survive are rising, and Rana relies on humanitarian assistance, including cash assistance from CARE. She remembers her first interaction with CARE staff after the earthquakes struck:
"Their words were like a light at the end of a dark tunnel. I bought food for the first time in months without worrying. I saw my children smile, and that moment meant everything to me.”
Like Mona, Rana is desperate for her children to look forward to a bright future.
"We are not just numbers or sad stories. We are people who dream and struggle. I want my children to grow up in a better world and live without fear… I want the world to know that we are human, deserving lives filled with dignity and hope."
More funding is needed
In 2024 CARE Türkiye supported more than 3 million men, women and children in earthquake-affected and displaced communities in Türkiye and in northwest Syria through partnerships with leading Syrian NGOs. Our work focused on providing food, water, cash assistance, protection services, house rehabilitation support, and help for small businesses to recover. But despite these efforts, millions fear being left behind without additional humanitarian funding.
“The path to recovery after the catastrophic earthquakes of 2023 is still long, and we are at a critical juncture,” says Rishana Haniffa, Country Director for CARE International in Türkiye.
“As we reach this anniversary, families will be left vulnerable to harsh winter conditions and prolonged hardship without additional humanitarian aid. On this sombre anniversary, CARE calls on international donors to renew their commitment and invest in long-term and sustainable recovery efforts in Türkiye and Syria.”
You can help - please donate to CARE today so that we can continue to provide support women affected by conflict and crisis around the world.
