From refugees to community leaders: the activators transforming lives in Türkiye

After fleeing the war in Syria, many refugees in Türkiye faced challenges accessing information and essential services and understanding their rights. Today, most of them have rebuilt their lives as students, parents, dentists, child development specialists, hairdressers and workers – and some have taken on another role: community activators. So, who are they?

Community activators serve as a vital bridge between refugee communities and essential resources. They are the multipliers within their community. Through their guidance and support, refugees are better equipped and more aware of their rights and responsibilities, and of available services, which enables them to access professional humanitarian assistance and the support needed to rebuild and strengthen their lives. Thanks to the European Union’s humanitarian support in Türkiye, CARE has equipped these community activators with 16 compulsory training sessions in Adana covering:

• protection from sexual exploitation and abuse
• protection risks and rights
• legal pathways
• gender-based violence

Armed with this knowledge, 27 community activators have so far been selected from 163 applicants, each equipped to provide information and support to at least 6 families within their own neighbourhoods. Through community sessions, they have reached 610 individuals across 4,330 total attendances – demonstrating both the strong demand for trusted information and the meaningful impact of peer-led community support.

School rather than work

Ahmad is 1 of 5 male community activators. He left Syria in 2013 and came to Türkiye in search of safety and a better future. He got married and built a new life in Adana. Today, he works at a café. But as soon as his shift ends, he takes on his other role. 

‘I have been doing this for 7 months. I believe in humanitarian work, and I can’t quit. I support 6 families, totalling 21 individuals. If the community needs guidance, I am there’, he says.

Ahmad, like other activators, delivers information sessions, conducts home visits, and provides guidance on legal services, documentation, rights and available support mechanisms. Among his cases, 1 in particular stands out: 

‘A father wanted his 10-year-old son to work, so he withdrew him from school and sent him to work in a barber shop. The boy struggled to communicate with his employer, who hit him. He didn’t want to go work there but at the same time, he was also facing social cohesion challenges at school, so he didn’t want to go there either. When I learnt about the situation, I advocated both with the father and the child. As a result, the boy returned to school. I still visit the family from time to time and talk about the importance of education in building a better future.’

‘Now, they raise their voices.’

The pride Ahmad takes in his work is unmistakable.

Information creates change

Rahija, a 32-year-old Syrian woman of Palestinian descent, came to Türkiye with her husband and 2 children in 2020. Her personal experience of displacement and hardship informs her deep commitment to supporting and empowering her community. That is why she became a community activator. 

While describing her contribution to the community, she explains:

‘A family wanted to marry off a 15-year-old girl. I had many talks with both the girl and her family, and they attended our sessions. I explained that it was against the law and would have negative consequences for the child's health and development. Both the family and the girl agreed to reconsider. Now the girl says she would only get married when she's 20. I'm really happy to see these kinds of positive outcomes.’

Rahija also highlights how information spreads within communities, multiplying the impact of every session.

School rather than marriage

Asma, who attended Rahija’s sessions, says the information she received changed her daughter’s future:

^{Some names have been changed to protect the individual’s identity and privacy.}