Whispers of Resilience: Hevidar's Path Through Conflict and Earthquakes

In the midst of the conflict that ravaged her homeland in Syria, Hevidar’s world was shattered as her home turned into ruins. Little did she know that fate will test her resilience once more, as she found herself bereft of everything in the wake of a devastating earthquake in Türkiye.

For eleven years, she has called Malatya her home.  It was there that she met Ünal, her Turkish husband, and together they raised their three children.

Amidst the escalating turmoil in Aleppo, Hevidar was forced to suspend her nursing studies for the sake of her safety and that of her family. They sought refuge in Kobani only to be uprooted once again by the relentless violence. Türkiye became their beacon of hope, offering them sanctuary from the storm.

Despite some challenges at the beginning, including language barrier and adjusting to a new culture, Hevidar’s spirit remained unbroken. She developed a deep fondness for Türkiye, mastering Turkish and forging connections with the warm and welcoming Turkish people. It has become her second home, a place where she found solace and stability.

However, on the fateful morning of the 6th of February, everything changed. Hevidar was breastfeeding her youngest daughter in the early hours of the morning when she felt the first tremors. She hope it would pass, but it continued with more strength. She quickly woke up her husband to ran to their children's room and wait for the earthquake to end.

When the trembling stopped, their hearts sank as they realized their home had suffered severe damage. They had no choice but to leave and find somewhere else to stay. First, they thought of seeking refuge at Ünal's grandmother's place in the city, but relentless aftershocks impeded their plans. Thus, they found themselves trapped, adrift without direction or solution.

"My husband’s granny have another house in the rural -- we decided to go there in the worst-case scenario, but I was still in shock and held onto the hope that we’d still return home.”

The journey to that rural house felt for Hevidar like an eternity. Hevidar's heart raced with each new aftershock rocking the ground under their feet. The falling snow created a hazy veil, as if trying to conceal the destruction around. Finally reaching the rural house, they sought solace together with thirty other people - six families with children.

"When we arrived at the rural house, we faced a scarcity of essential supplies - food and clothing.  The provided assistance has been and continues to be invaluable to us," she explains.

As the cold weather persisted, displaced communities in Türkiye faced a lot of hardships. Recognizing this critical situation, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) sprang into action to provide vital support. Dispatching blankets, clothes, electric heaters, and other essential materials, IOM team have been working tirelessly to help improve shelter conditions and ensure the resilience of communities.

A heavy sigh escaped Hevidar’s mouth as she looked around their worn-out house, she had called home for the past two months: “We have been recently informed that we have to evacuate as it is set to be demolished," said Hevidar.

Desperately searching for a new place to stay, Hevidar and her family reached a dead end. "It's a hopeless situation. We've tried all our options and have nowhere else to turn. It's highly likely that we'll end up in a tent," she said with a heavy heart.

As Hevidar and her family confronted the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, she recalled the conflict and difficulties she had faced in Syria over a decade ago. Familiar feelings of loss and displacement gripped her heart as she witnessed her family being uprooted once again.

She recalled how hard it had been to adjust to life in a new country, only to have it all taken away by a disaster again. But Hevidar didn't give up hope. She believes that as long as people came together to help and support one another, everything would be alright. Despite everything they have been through, Hevidar remains determined to create a better life for her family. For now, she has to rely on humanitarian assistance and support her family.

IOM’s interventions have played a crucial role in addressing the urgent needs of those affected by the earthquake. With generous contributions from donors, over 1.1 million relief items, including shelter materials, have been dispatched since February 6, 2023, contributing to the recovery process.