Refugee crisis is known as one of the most large-scale, long-term and complicated human crisis of modern times. While aids towards meeting humanitarian needs stand out, source of income supports are becoming the focal point day by day. Refugees who have had to leave their homelands for various reasons are concerned about guaranteeing their todays and futures and face the problem of sustaining their daily lives.
As WALD, we carry out many activities to ensure that business opportunities are created humanely through measures to improve life quality of local people as well as refugees and activities to strengthen the demand for labor market. In addition, we acknowledge the importance of training qualified employees for labor market within regions where refugees are densely-populated through engaging of private sector and carry out our activities accordingly.
Based on the notion that all work should start in its kitchen, our ‘’There is Hope in the Kitchen” project was launched on April 1, 2019 in collaboration with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Turkish Red Crescent. There is Hope in the Kitchen project revolves around the fact that food is a common ground bringing together and unifying all cultures and aims to afford participants greater opportunities to find a job in future and develop permanent skills.
The project was launched in Altındağ district of Ankara and Bağcılar district of Istanbul as pilot regions. Participants comprised of total 117 women and men from local people and refugees, among whom 55 beneficiaries successfully completed on-the-job training and were able to get involved in the employment process.
While it contributed to the establishment of social cohesion between local people and refugees, it also allowed successful participants of training to formally enter the world of business.
As WALD, our aim is to accelerate the social cohesion process, enhance the quality of individuals’ investments in their future and above all bring maximum benefit to the Turkish economy.
