Wais Family from Aleppo is Overcoming the Obstacles…
We are continuing the household visits to listen to the stories of ESSN beneficiaries. We have been in Bursa for a meeting with Bassam Wais and his family who previously benefitted from the ESSN.
Bassam Wais and his family has left their country Syria and came to Turkey and settled in Bursa due to the war 5.5 years ago. The population of the Wais family is crowded, as are many Syrian families who were forced to emigrate. There are 5 children in the family: Ahmet, Münir, Selsebil, Muhammed Nur and Ömer.
Wais family has migrated to Bursa and then started to benefit from the ESSN Programme. In the first period of their new life in Turkey, Wais family had difficulties in the means of adjustment to Turkey and tried to survive with the support of the ESSN Programme. Bassam, benefitted from the ESSN for a while, then attended Turkish language course at Kızılay Bursa Community Center. In addition to full participation in Turkish language courses along with other immigrants', Bassam was employed as a worker in a textile factory with the guidance of the Turkish Red Crescent Bursa Community Center. While Bassam was in Aleppo, he had operated a textile factory; his knowledge and talent in textile originated from his previous experiences. In the pre-war period in Syria, Aleppo was the textile center of the country.
After few years, he has been promoted to assistant foreman in the factory and increased his earnings. He is master of his work, however, he says that he should be patient to step up. Bassam is now responsible for over 200 machines; over 150 decibel of noise is echoed in the factory where he is working hard. As soon as Bassam began working formally in the factory, his ESSN basic needs assistance was cut to make sure the resources became available to other vulnerable families; hence the assistance is programmed to support the most vulnerable people living in Turkey under International / Temporary Protection.
Ömer, who is the eldest son of hard working Wais family, realizes an Arabic-speaking customer in a boiler mechanics shop near their home in Yıldırım, Bursa. The storeowner cannot communicate with the customer because he cannot speak Arabic. Ömer notices the situation, and supports the storeowner by Arabic translation with his basic level of Turkish. The storeowner Mr. Nazim is pleased with this situation and employs Ömer as an apprentice. From that day on, the storeowner, Mr. Nazim, has started providing services to the Arabic-speaking customers who came to the shop through Ömer. Mr. Nazim, who loves Ömer, provides supports the family.
After working in a boiler mechanics for one year, Ömer started working at an automotive spare parts shop. As of today, it has been three years that Ömer started to work for automotive spare parts shop. The owner of the shop has entrusted the warehouse inventory system to Ömer. Today, Ömer speaks Turkish fluently. When we ask, ”Ömer what is your dream? The answer came from his father: I-phone“.
The younger son of the family is Muhammed Nur. Just like his brother Ömer, he is working hard and speaks Turkish fluently. After settling in Bursa, Muhammed Nur starts his first job as an apprentice in a restaurant. His first weekly wage was 80 TL; six months later he begins to work in a larger restaurant. Today Muhammed Nur earns 65 TL per day. The family's three younger children are still continuing their education at primary school.
Bassam Wais and her family showcases one of the best examples of social cohesion targeted in KIZILAYKART programmes. In the first stage, the family benefited from the ESSN and tried to give direction to their lives. Today, they have enough income to sustain their lives in Turkey and they have hopes for the future…
