Turkey

IPF Program Director, France Bognon, and M&E expert, Randa Yassir, traveled to southern Turkey in December to visit four Syrian WASL partners, three of which received IPF grants in 2022.

In Kilis they visited Kareemat Center and in Gaziantep they conducted site visits with DARB, Zenobia Syrian Women’s Organization and the Center for Civil Society and Democracy (CCSD). “

It’s not until you are sitting across from the various beneficiaries that have been engaged by our partners that you realize how unique and impactful their work has been. Because these communities trust them, the organizations have been able to identify the very nuanced obstacles they face, and then develop holistic programs that address the economic, social, political, and psychological issues that lead to conflict with the local Turkish population. In one particular case, we met with a Syrian woman who had employed skills from a training with Zenobia to develop activities that brought Turks and Syrians together and led to a reduction in conflict between neighbors and bullying of Syrian children.”