Resilience building for Syrian refugees in Turkey

The project in brief

Implemented by

United Nations Development Program UNDP and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR - Turkey

Country

Turkey

Duration

The project was started in 2018 and finalized in 2019.

Description

To create job opportunities for Syrian refugees and host communities through enterprise development, building institutional infrastructure and enhancing business initiatives to employ Syrians and host community members. 

Project aims

To create sustainable job opportunities for Syrian refugees and host communities through fostering enterprise development, building institutional infrastructure and enhancing inclusive business initiatives to employ Syrians and host community members. 

Main activities of the Good Practice

• Develop the capacity of Şanlıurfa Technopark by strengthening its service delivery strategy, sectoral focus, business model and service packages. 
• Support start-ups and businesses to implement their ideas and access financial support through mentoring programs, on the job trainings and the enhancement business and supply chain relations.
• Organise a job fair to increase the awareness around refugee employment, work permit procedures and to highlight incentives for businesses and entrepreneurs to employ Syrian refugees.

“My family would face more challenges without my support. I want to work.” says Sene Abuhammed, 27, Syrian refugee in Turkey. Four years ago, she fled from Hama to Turkey and now lives in Şanlıurfa with her family. She came across the vocational trainings of the Strengthening Social Stability in Southeast Anatolia Region Project. With the daily wage she earned during the summer cotton harvest, she rented land and started to cultivate and sell vegetables. The trainings she received on organic fertilization and irrigation allowed her to grow her business to the next level. 

Results of the Good Practice 

Turkey has become a home for us and allowed us to earn an income

- Sene Abuhammed

Overall, the project provided on the job training to over 100 beneficiaries, provided support to almost 60 entrepreneurs and engaged over 30 beneficiaries in mentorship schemes. Through the job fair 10 people (of which 7 were Syrians) were placed into decent jobs. 

How the project meets the GCR Objectives

Objective 1: Ease the pressures on host countries

Over 97% of the 4 million refugees in Turkey are residing in host communities, which continues to lead to increased pressures on service delivery, available job opportunities and social cohesion. 

Objective 2: Enhance refugee self-reliance

This project aimed at the creation of sustainable livelihoods opportunities with the overall objective to enhance refugees and host community self-reliance. 

Next steps 

Several future investments have been identified that could further leverage the results of the project in terms of scale as well as sustainability of the current investments made. Below is a list of ideas that were generated throughout the project: 

• Further strengthening capacities of other Technoparks in GAP Region
• Strengthening the institutional capacity of Harran University
• Strengthening relationship between the local and regional institutions in the GAP region
• Strengthening the Research and Development Culture in Şanlıurfa and the GAP Region