A Bank Account, A School Activity, and a New beginning
A Bank Account, A School Activity, and a New beginning
June 26, 2026 | Navar Maarri
In 2014, Maryam Albakour, a 30-year-old mother, left Syria carrying her newborn daughter. Before reaching Türkiye, her family had already been displaced several times, moving from one place to another in search of safety.
"There was no water, no electricity, and the shelling never seemed to stop." says Meryam.
After arriving in Türkiye with her husband and daughter, the family settled in Reyhanlı, where they rented a small room. They later spent several years in a refugee camp before moving to Adana to build a new life.
In Adana, Maryam's husband worked, but his income was not enough to cover the family's expenses, and they often found themselves relying on debt. Maryam knew she needed to work and contribute to the household, but finding a job was not easy.
One day, while scrolling through social media, Maryam came across a job opportunity shared by Building Markets under the Resilient Employment and Socio-Economic Development in Earthquake-Affected Regions of Türkiye (RE-SEED) project. After applying, she was connected with an employer through the project and soon started working at a textile company in Adana.
For Maryam, it was more than a job offer, It was her first job.
Through the RE-SEED project, businesses receive support to create formal employment opportunities, helping people like Maryam access jobs that provide both income and security.
The job brought more than a salary. For the first time, Maryam's family had health insurance. As a mother, that mattered as much as the income itself. She knew her daughter would have access to healthcare if she needed it. Maryam also opened a bank account in her own name for the first time. It may seem like a small thing, but for her it brought a new sense of independence. Today, she contributes to the family's income and can be there for the moments that matter most to her daughter.
"When there is an activity at school, I can say yes. As a mother, that makes me happy because I want my daughter to enjoy her childhood like any other child." says Maryam.
Maryam is one of many women who have accessed employment opportunities through the RE-SEED project. In regions still recovering from the devastating earthquakes, the project is helping businesses grow and create formal jobs, while giving people the opportunity to rebuild their lives, support their families, and look to the future with greater confidence. For women, especially refugee women who often face additional barriers to employment, these opportunities can make a lasting difference.
This support is provided under the “Resilient Employment and Socio-Economic Development in Earthquake-Affected Regions of Türkiye (RE-SEED)” project, co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in cooperation with the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye and Building Markets.
