SANLIURFA, Turkey
Syrian women volunteers in Turkey are making protective masks for frontline workers fighting coronavirus and others in need.
The women are working at a vocational training center in the southeastern Sanliurfa province which is operated by the Turkish charity Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH).
They are using silk fabric in the masks which can be reused.
"Our brothers and sisters in Turkey so far have done a lot for us. This is a small gesture of our thankfulness," said Muhammed Saha, who heads the center.
Turkey is hosting more than 3.6 million Syrian refugees, more than any other country in the world.
Elif Musa, one of the volunteers working at the center, said they spend a lot of time working with other women.
"We voluntarily produce as many masks as we can and work hard until the evening," she noted.
Some of the women even leave their children at home.
"I think it is a significant sacrifice in these difficult times," she said, adding that now it’s their turn to support Turkey.
"By opening its doors for us, Turkey helped us a lot," said Fadile Husseyin, a Syrian mother of eight.
We owe this to Turkey, she added, explaining her reason for volunteering.
Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests.
Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million others displaced, according to UN officials.
*Writing by Aysu Bicer
