Yakup is a 9-year-old child with congenital hearing loss that went unnoticed for many years. The challenges he faced only became visible after he started primary school, when his teacher realized that he could not hear classroom instructions and was struggling to follow lessons.
Communication at home was also extremely limited. Yakup was unable to express his needs and emotions, which frequently led to frustration and behavioral difficulties. His academic performance was negatively affected as well, creating an additional emotional burden on the family.
Yakup’s life began to change when his family was referred to SENED through the protection and referral services carried out within the scope of the project. Following comprehensive assessments, an appropriate hearing aid was provided for Yakup, and he began speech therapy sessions at the SENED Center. Within a short period of time, visible improvements were observed in his responsiveness, communication skills, and speech attempts.
These positive developments were also reflected in his school life. Yakup’s participation in class increased, his communication with his teacher improved, and a noticeable progress was seen in his academic performance. Over time, his behavior became calmer, his relationship with his family strengthened, and his psychological well-being improved. The support provided by the European Union and BMZ through GIZ marked an important turning point in Yakup’s life, helping him look toward the future with greater confidence.
In addition to medical and therapeutic support, SENED teams identified that the family was facing serious administrative barriers related to their registered address information. Due to displacement after the earthquake and frequent changes of residence, the family’s address records had not been updated. This situation created significant risks regarding school enrollment, access to public healthcare services, referrals to rehabilitation services, and access to disability-related social assistance.
Through case management and household visits, SENED provided structured administrative support to help overcome this barrier. The family received individual counseling to better understand the address update requirements, guidance on the necessary documentation, and support in preparing official paperwork, including notarized rental documents. Furthermore, the SENED team accompanied Yakup’s caregiver to the Düztepe Information Center affiliated with the Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of Migration Management, communicated with the relevant authorities, and ensured that the address verification process was completed accurately and in a timely manner.
As a result of this process, the family successfully renewed their registered address information and regained access to essential public services. This ensured the uninterrupted continuation of Yakup’s education, secured his access to speech therapy and follow-up healthcare services, and enabled him to benefit from disability-related support mechanisms. Beyond these concrete outcomes, the address verification process significantly reduced the family’s stress and uncertainty, strengthened their sense of legal security, and increased their ability to plan for Yakup’s future.
ADA Türkiye, co-funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), was established in 2021 to ensure long-term coordination and sustainable cooperation. To date, the initiative has delivered protection services to more than 120,000 people, provided post-earthquake support to approximately 31,000 individuals, and carried out over 3,000 activities aimed at promoting social cohesion between communities.
