For the past few years, a nationalist wave has swept across Europe, leaving a trail of xenophobia and resentment towards refugee groups. The Republican People’s Party—or CHP—of Turkey has taken advantage of this movement. In the 2015 parliamentary elections, the CHP initially supported the influx of refugees, and their manifesto included protecting newcomers from job exploitation, high rents, and unfair border security practices. Two years later, however, such statements we

This week, my family and I had the opportunity to take a trip to Turkey to visit Small Projects Istanbul. As we traveled past an ancient aqueduct and down a series of winding streets, I had a feeling that we were lost. However, just as we approached a narrow apartment building, a small boy poked his head out the window and shouted a greeting. We had been found. The building - despite its size - was bustling with life. Energetic volunteers carried supplies up and down seve

Small Projects Istanbul recently created a social enterprise program in order to provide an income for mothers of Syrian refugee families. Their most successful project, known as Drop Earrings Not Bombs, teaches women how to craft beautiful handmade jewelry and allows them to develop a sense of belonging. Acrylic Dreams focuses primarily on educational opportunities for children; however, we understand the importance of mothers in their growth. We cannot empower children if

Yesterday, the Turkish migration department announced that the total number of Syrian refugees in the country has risen to 3,583,434 from 2.8 million in 2016. Over 15% live in Istanbul, with similar figures in the Urfa and Hatay provinces; yet, only 14,000 have returned home to Syrian, leaving Turkish political leaders in a difficult situation. The country is in the process of holding parliamentary elections, for which 34-year-old Mohammed al-Shaikhouni, a Syrian-born busine

In recent years, the neighborhood surrounding Istanbul’s Fatih Mosque looked like an ordinary Turkish street. Since then, the area has transformed itself into a piece of Syria; street signs are written in Arabic, and refugees inhabit nearby houses. An employee at a cafe describes his surroundings; "We've got Syrian supermarkets, Syrian restaurants — just like back home. I haven't even applied for a Turkish ID card. If peace comes to Syria, I'll go home tomorrow." Some Turk