Qamar in her store, PenTool. Credit: UNHCR
As we close out 2021 and look for stories of encouragement and optimism to deepen our resolve to do more with whatever resources we have, I wanted to share the story of Qamar.
In 2019, Rockflower partnered with Avaz Denerği, an organization in Turkey that at the time was working to improve the lives of disadvantaged local and refugee community members in the southeastern border city of Şanlıurfa. In particular Avaz’s focus was finding common ground between all marginalized groups and promoting social cohesion.
Since 2011, more than 3.7 million Syrians have been hosted in Turkey and almost 14% of them are living in Şanlıurfa city. From the early days of the refugee flow to Turkey, international institutions, national governmental bodies and civil society organizations have been working hard to improve the living conditions of Syrians in and outside of camp facilities.
After providing the initial basic services support this has now evolved to providing livelihood opportunities such as vocational training courses and skills development seminars. Unfortunately there is a very gendered and restrictive approach to the types of training on offer. This is where AVAZ had such clear insight and vision by seeing that women craved more than the traditional training on hairstyling, handicrafts and bakery developments.
Hüseyin Demir, Founder and Executive Director of AVAZ, had a vision to start a women’s technology center, where women could acquire skills in coding and robotics, graphic design and new technologies that would allow them to participate in the future workforce. By being able to study together with other Syrian refugee women and local Turkish women they had the opportunity to learn from one another and share their experience and challenges.
Rockflower provided the funding for the Graphic Design Course that AVAZ ran in 2020. It was here that Qamar began her training in robotics and design.
As a mother of two who arrived in Turkey in the bleak winter of January 2018, Qamar sought refuge from the ongoing conflict in her beloved Syria. Prior to this Qamar was studying at the University of Aleppo to become a Law teacher. Her family was reluctant to leave Aleppo but once the attacks intensified they saw little choice. They were forced to relocate to Turkey where they were granted temporary protection status and could begin building a new life in Şanlıurfa.
After attending the AVAZ course, Qamar’s dream of creating a business became a reality when she received a grant from the Turkish INGEV Foundation through their Entrepreneurship Support Centre. The grant allowed her to open a gift shop in Şanlıurfa, which she named PenTool.
Qamar is now able to support herself and her family and to resume her Islamic Law studies at the University Harran, where she is now pursuing her Master’s degree. Her thesis is focussed on the issue of forced displacement in Islamic Law and Western legal systems as she hopes to give voice to the suffering of many families like hers, who had to leave everything behind to seek refuge and safety.
UNHCR recently highlighted Qamar’s story and her successful transition into entrepreneurship,
The UNHCR article does not mention Rockflower because they do not know that in order for AVAZ to have been able to provide this training, there had to be someone behind their vision and willing to fund it. That is Rockflower’s purpose - to ensure that those with brilliant minds and vision have access to the funding that will propel them to greater success. We too spend a great deal of time focussed on how to raise funds, how to tap into people's willingness to give to provide a better future for someone they will never meet, but for whom they have a deep understanding that if they were in their shoes they would hope someone would do the same for them.
AVAZ had to close its doors in September 2021, due to a number of contributing factors that made it untenable for this incredible organization to continue its work, but Hüseyin Demir, who remains on the Rockflower Partner Advisory Council, understands only too well that for every Qamar success story a path back to hope and sanity is being built for a community devastated by loss and despair.
Hüseyin is now creating a new future, one that will continue to be filled with dedication to those in need, and we are right behind him and Qamar in honoring their resolve and bravery to keep going against all odds.
“You've spent time on your education, you've spent time on your families, friends and career. You worked hard. When you wake up in the morning, imagine that none of these exist anymore. Your education is unimportant, your career is unimportant, you have no friends and family. You woke up one morning in a park in a country where you don't even speak the language. You have nothing to lose in your life! Millions of people woke up like this one morning! All that is needed to change the lives of these people is your belief in this change. With a donation, a person changes, a person changes, the world changes!” - Hüseyin Demir
So for those of you who consistently give to Rockflower please know that every single contribution directly affects the life of someone who thanks you for your willingness to join us in The Currency of Mind™ in laying the groundwork for a better tomorrow. And for those who have yet to give or are not sure if it makes any difference at all, please be assured that it does and that we would be eternally grateful for your belief and commitment to our work.