Enas Torfa, a Syrian refugee. She studied chemical and vital biology and came to Turkey in 2017. After she arrived, she worked temporarily as an intern at laboratories fort o get some experience in the medical field. After her first year in Turkey, she got pregnant and didn’t look for a job until her boy grew enough.
Yet she started selling handmade crafts and sweets fort o support the housing economy. “It was simple according to my capabilities and the ability to deliver the products as dealing with the customers and the delivery.” For Enas, there were more permanent solutions. For her, it’s very important to be an independent woman and support herself even when married.
“Honestly, I stayed at home for the first year and the following year too, then I got pregnant and got a baby boy. My son got little old enough, and I thought this was the chance to work now. So I started looking for a job and have experienced many places, but many problems appear like they are not hiring right now or need a work permit or other issues. Then I found a post on Facebook about United Work and their services and started contacting them. ”
Most Syrian refugees are having trouble finding a job due to their lack of experience, language barriers, and because of the work permit process. Sometimes refugees have to work in different jobs rather than suitable positions for their profile to continue their lives. United Work foundation assists job seekers and refugees s on a project under the BRIDGES Programme in coordination with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC). Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KFW-German Development Bank, the project aims to assist refugee and host community members to find jobs through career counseling and job matching.
After Enas contacted United Work consultants, she sent their CVs, and the consultants looked for a suitable position for her skills. GMD Company works in the medical field, and they have laboratories where some tests must be done. After the consultant’s link, Enas profile, and the job offer, the company calls Enas for an interview. “I came here and did an interview and started working here 7-8 months ago.”
Enas has been working at GMD company for more than 8 months now on. Even though she loves Syria, she is delighted to have a career here in Turkey.
“My husband is taking care of all the house’s needs and expenses, but when I decided to work, our financial situation was awful and still now, and it’s getting harder and harder, so between us, there is no difference as I spend on the house needs or he does, no difference.”
She has a good relationship with her colleagues, managers, and neighbors. After she started working at GMD with the support of her friends, she developed her Turkish language. Unfortunately, the current situation doesn’t allow her to return to Syria, and she doesn’t want her kid to suffer from the same condition.
“I still can do something for myself and my career and be a valuable person for others and the people around me, and I want to do more for myself and others in the future. “
