Syrian refugees make good in Turkey

by Bahattin Gonultas

ANKARA

Syrian refugees, fleeing a brutal and repressive regime at home, have not only found shelter in Turkey, but many have turned entrepreneur and started their own businesses.

Syrian refugee Duaa Alhusain was 19 when she came to Turkey in 2013, fleeing the violent conflict and brutal regime repression with her family.

"Our family used to live in Damascus.. The regime's pressure and bombs were everywhere. We could not go anywhere. Security forces were taking people to jail without asking any questions. Many of my friends and my relatives were killed," Alhussain said.

Now, at 21, she owns a business in Istanbul with her friend selling real estate to people from Arabic-speaking countries.

“I have eight employees and three offices in Istanbul,” Alhusain told Anadolu Agency on Monday. “Turkey has been good to me.”

Another Syrian refugee, 38-year-old Kinan Alkurdi, came to Turkey penniless in 2012. "I started my new life like a new-born. I started my business life as franchising manager at a Turkish furniture company. After a short time, I started my own showroom in Istanbul for kids furniture," Alkurdi said in an interview on Monday.

The conflict in Syria has now driven more than four million people – a sixth of the country’s population – to seek sanctuary in neighboring countries, making it the largest refugee crisis for a quarter of a century, according to the UN.

Turkey is now the largest refugee-hosting country in the world, sheltering 2,291,900 Syrians.

In most countries, especially developed countries, refugees who escape from war and conflicts are not allowed to get jobs, and face penalties if caught working at informal jobs.

But in Turkey it is different. The government issued residence permits to Syrian refugees who have been registered in the system. Syrians holding these permits are allowed to work in Turkey and are entitled to receive free medical services.

For Alhusain, Turkish support enabled her to learn Turkish and to go to the university as a refugee where she studied real estate.

Now she runs a successful real estate business, taking advantage of her ability to speak Arabic.

"We are connecting with people who speak Arabic and want to invest in Turkey,” Alhusain said. “And business is good. We are planning to diversify into tourism and exports.”

Alhussain praised Turkish hospitality for Syrian refugees. Turkey, which hosts the world's largest refugee population, has so far spent nearly $9 billion caring for 2.3 million Syrians.

"No other country did what Turkey did for Syrian refugees. This beautiful country has opened without any restriction its doors to Syrians like me," Alhussain added. "I want to thank people in Turkey and particularly the country's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan."

Alkurdi too is grateful to Turkey. “We have two targets in our life: to work hard and to be good guests.”

Thanks to Turkish support, Alkurdi was able to learn the language of the country.

"We do have some problems, like finding schools for my children. But, Alḥamdulillah (Praise be to God) I am not going to Greece or Europe. I have life here in Turkey,” he said.