Lamyaa, a Syrian mother, arrived in Türkiye with her four children. After her eldest daughter got married, she continued living with her remaining three children — one aged 18 and two under the age of 18. Her husband had abandoned the family and provided no financial support, leaving Lamyaa without a stable source of income.
One of the most critical challenges the family faced was the lack of official identification documents for the children. Without proper registration, the children were unable to access education and essential public services. The younger children could not enrol in school, creating both child protection concerns and long-term risks of social exclusion.
Lamyaa sought support through the project to initiate divorce proceedings from her legally married husband and obtain custody of her children. The case was first referred to the organization’s legal advisor to assess potential legal risks and determine the appropriate course of action.
Following the assessment by ADA Türkiye partner Young Lives Foundation co-funded by the EU and BMZ, Lamyaa was referred to legal aid services and received accompaniment support throughout the process. Since she does not speak Turkish, interpretation support was provided during legal aid applications and official procedures.
Her legal aid request was accepted, and a lawyer was assigned to her case. Appointments were arranged in coordination with the lawyer, and she was accompanied during meetings. Legal procedures were initiated to file for divorce, request child custody, and claim alimony.
In parallel, household visits were conducted to assess the family’s living conditions. Economic vulnerability, children’s lack of access to education, and legal uncertainties were addressed through a comprehensive support approach.
Through this intervention, Lamyaa’s access to legal rights was strengthened and the family’s situation began to move toward a formal legal framework. Initiating the legal process was a critical step toward securing the children’s custody and identity documentation.
The legal guidance, interpretation, and accompaniment provided through the project helped Lamyaa become visible within institutional systems and facilitated her access to rights-based protection mechanisms. This support not only strengthened the family’s sense of legal security but also enabled them to begin planning for a more stable future.
Co-financed by the European Union Humanitarian Aid (DG ECHO) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), ADA Türkiye was established in 2021 to ensure long-term coordination and sustainable cooperation. To date, the initiative has reached over 120,000 people through protection services, provided earthquake-related assistance to approximately 31,000 individuals, and implemented over 3,000 activities to promote social cohesion between communities.
