We are a volunteer team from America supporting refugee families in Turkey. We have 3 families that are in urgent need of funds for rent, food and schooling. We have grown to know and love these families. Witnessing their struggle to survive is heart-wrenching. Please help us help these families. Updates will be posted for transparency. 100% of your donations will go the families to help support them for one year in Turkey. All funds will be split among the 3 families. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.
CASE 1: LIFE SUPPORT FOR SARA
Sara and her two daughters live in fear for their lives. Several years ago they converted to Christianity. The response was frightening. They were jailed, tortured and fled their home country as a matter of life and death. They now find themselves refugees, living in a second country with a fatwa (order to kill) on their lives by the local government and family members back home. For this reason, we can not release identifying information. They have been granted refugee status by UNHCR and await resettlement to the USA. The USA denied their application for a technical error. Volunteers and legal teams are urgently working on an appeal to correct the foreign government's mistake. They do not have permission to work in their host country. Their rent was being paid by a donor but the funding has run out. They are now in danger of losing their shelter and urgently need donations to pay rent. The landlord has also been regularly increasing their rent. The stress for them is overwhelming as they live in fear of being found, and they currently suffer compromised health. The family is in need of rent, food, utilities and transportation.
MONTHLY COSTS for SARA:
Rent 480, Food 163, Gas 135, Water 45, Electricity 42, Internet & phone 30, Transportation 30 = $925 USD
CASE 2: LIFE SUPPORT FOR NOORA (name changed to protect privacy)
<iframe media_type="0" media_id="v9r34QmAYtI" class="youtube-replace" title="YouTube video player" style="margin-bottom:20px;width:560px;height:315px;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/v9r34QmAYtI/?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="1"></iframe>"Noora's daughters saying "thank you" in Arabic, Turkish, and English. At that end of the video, right before they open the card, they call out "Surprise!"
In 2013, NOORA and her two young daughters (now, ages 4 & 7) traveled hundreds of miles on foot until they reached relative safety in Turkey. Noora left her husband behind, incarcerated on false charges in a Syrian prison. His fate is still unknown. Traveling as a woman alone with two small children poses great danger. She is unable to work and has no form of income. The UNHCR has referred her for resettlement in the United States but the vetting process is on hold and it is not clear how much longer she will have to wait. Your generous donations will continue to keep her in an apartment with food, water, and heat.
MONTHLY COSTS for NOORA:
Rent, food, water, heat $200 USD
CASE 3: ACADEMICS FOR SHAHAD
On her way to classes at college.
18 year old Shahad and her family came to Turkey from Iraq when she was just 15. In addition to her native Arabic, Shahad speaks fluent English and Turkish. When she arrived in Turkey, her high school education was put on hold. Determined, she taught herself Turkish and enrolled in a local Turkish high school, graduated, and last September, was admitted into an electrical engineering program in one of Turkey's top Universities. Scholarships are difficult to come by for non-Syrian refugees. While she waits to see what the next chapter holds for her and her family, your donations will pay for her tuition and books so that she can continue her education.
MONTHLY COSTS for SHAHAD:
Tuition $110 USD
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WHO WE ARE: Miriam & Mary Beth
* MIRIAM Engstrom and her family moved to Ankara, Turkey in 2013. Within weeks of their arrival, 10,000 displaced people a day started flooding across the borders. The crisis grew quickly. As of today, there are over 3 million refugees living in Turkey and 90% of them live outside of the camps and have limited access to basic services.
Miriam, along with many other souls, witnessed great need and chose to respond. As a clinical psychologist, Miriam, single handedly, started a women's support group in Kirikkale, one of UNHCR's "satellite cities." For over two years, Miriam met weekly in cafés and in the apartments of women displaced from Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. Despite their fate, she helped them forge a life in the limbo they faced, and encouraged them to re-define their sense of meaning and purpose. She listened to their stories and promoted emotional healing. As the spouse of a diplomat, Miriam was able to directly coordinate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and resettlement task forces from both the American and Canadian Embassies. Through proceeds from the original theatrical performances that she directed and produced in Turkey, Miriam started a scholarship fund, medical emergency fund, and a local lending library with books in English, Arabic, and Turkish. With donated supplies, she promoted their arts and crafts to help the women generate some income.
In November of 2016, Miriam was one of 6 Americans to receive the 2016 "Secretary of State's Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad." Miriam believes that "the reward of service is not an award or recognition. Service itself is the reward."
Miriam and her family moved back to the U.S. last autumn but her work continues. She has promised the women of Kirikkale that they will not be forgotten. We still have feet on the ground in Turkey and are certain that all of your donations will be put DIRECTLY into the hands of refugees.
* MARY BETH Gierlinger currently resides in the New York City area with her husband and four children. (She holds a degree in Political Science/Middle Eastern Studies and is deeply interested in the politics, history and social impact of the Middle East and its current crises) She has been an active member of each community in which she has resided, and has been involved in numerous volunteer activities, board positions and philanthropic work. Her heart for others has led her to such places as this refugee crisis. She is a longtime friend of Miriam Engstrom and, when asked by Miriam to help out, gladly opened her heart, her home, and her wallet, by "adopting" a family and sending them money every month for over a year. She hopes to continue to support families in need and thanks you in advance for your generosity in participating in this urgent cause.
Mary Beth will wire the donations directly to the head of each refugee family via Western Union. Photos will be taken of each wire sent and will be included in GoFundMe updates for transparency.
CASE 1: LIFE SUPPORT FOR SARA
Sara and her two daughters live in fear for their lives. Several years ago they converted to Christianity. The response was frightening. They were jailed, tortured and fled their home country as a matter of life and death. They now find themselves refugees, living in a second country with a fatwa (order to kill) on their lives by the local government and family members back home. For this reason, we can not release identifying information. They have been granted refugee status by UNHCR and await resettlement to the USA. The USA denied their application for a technical error. Volunteers and legal teams are urgently working on an appeal to correct the foreign government's mistake. They do not have permission to work in their host country. Their rent was being paid by a donor but the funding has run out. They are now in danger of losing their shelter and urgently need donations to pay rent. The landlord has also been regularly increasing their rent. The stress for them is overwhelming as they live in fear of being found, and they currently suffer compromised health. The family is in need of rent, food, utilities and transportation. MONTHLY COSTS for SARA:
Rent 480, Food 163, Gas 135, Water 45, Electricity 42, Internet & phone 30, Transportation 30 = $925 USD
CASE 2: LIFE SUPPORT FOR NOORA (name changed to protect privacy)
<iframe media_type="0" media_id="v9r34QmAYtI" class="youtube-replace" title="YouTube video player" style="margin-bottom:20px;width:560px;height:315px;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/v9r34QmAYtI/?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="1"></iframe>"Noora's daughters saying "thank you" in Arabic, Turkish, and English. At that end of the video, right before they open the card, they call out "Surprise!"
In 2013, NOORA and her two young daughters (now, ages 4 & 7) traveled hundreds of miles on foot until they reached relative safety in Turkey. Noora left her husband behind, incarcerated on false charges in a Syrian prison. His fate is still unknown. Traveling as a woman alone with two small children poses great danger. She is unable to work and has no form of income. The UNHCR has referred her for resettlement in the United States but the vetting process is on hold and it is not clear how much longer she will have to wait. Your generous donations will continue to keep her in an apartment with food, water, and heat.
MONTHLY COSTS for NOORA:
Rent, food, water, heat $200 USD
CASE 3: ACADEMICS FOR SHAHAD
On her way to classes at college.18 year old Shahad and her family came to Turkey from Iraq when she was just 15. In addition to her native Arabic, Shahad speaks fluent English and Turkish. When she arrived in Turkey, her high school education was put on hold. Determined, she taught herself Turkish and enrolled in a local Turkish high school, graduated, and last September, was admitted into an electrical engineering program in one of Turkey's top Universities. Scholarships are difficult to come by for non-Syrian refugees. While she waits to see what the next chapter holds for her and her family, your donations will pay for her tuition and books so that she can continue her education.
MONTHLY COSTS for SHAHAD:
Tuition $110 USD
========================================
WHO WE ARE: Miriam & Mary Beth
* MIRIAM Engstrom and her family moved to Ankara, Turkey in 2013. Within weeks of their arrival, 10,000 displaced people a day started flooding across the borders. The crisis grew quickly. As of today, there are over 3 million refugees living in Turkey and 90% of them live outside of the camps and have limited access to basic services.
Miriam, along with many other souls, witnessed great need and chose to respond. As a clinical psychologist, Miriam, single handedly, started a women's support group in Kirikkale, one of UNHCR's "satellite cities." For over two years, Miriam met weekly in cafés and in the apartments of women displaced from Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. Despite their fate, she helped them forge a life in the limbo they faced, and encouraged them to re-define their sense of meaning and purpose. She listened to their stories and promoted emotional healing. As the spouse of a diplomat, Miriam was able to directly coordinate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and resettlement task forces from both the American and Canadian Embassies. Through proceeds from the original theatrical performances that she directed and produced in Turkey, Miriam started a scholarship fund, medical emergency fund, and a local lending library with books in English, Arabic, and Turkish. With donated supplies, she promoted their arts and crafts to help the women generate some income.
In November of 2016, Miriam was one of 6 Americans to receive the 2016 "Secretary of State's Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad." Miriam believes that "the reward of service is not an award or recognition. Service itself is the reward."
Miriam and her family moved back to the U.S. last autumn but her work continues. She has promised the women of Kirikkale that they will not be forgotten. We still have feet on the ground in Turkey and are certain that all of your donations will be put DIRECTLY into the hands of refugees.
* MARY BETH Gierlinger currently resides in the New York City area with her husband and four children. (She holds a degree in Political Science/Middle Eastern Studies and is deeply interested in the politics, history and social impact of the Middle East and its current crises) She has been an active member of each community in which she has resided, and has been involved in numerous volunteer activities, board positions and philanthropic work. Her heart for others has led her to such places as this refugee crisis. She is a longtime friend of Miriam Engstrom and, when asked by Miriam to help out, gladly opened her heart, her home, and her wallet, by "adopting" a family and sending them money every month for over a year. She hopes to continue to support families in need and thanks you in advance for your generosity in participating in this urgent cause.
Mary Beth will wire the donations directly to the head of each refugee family via Western Union. Photos will be taken of each wire sent and will be included in GoFundMe updates for transparency.
Organizer
MARY BETH PALMER-GIERLINGER
Organizer
New Rochelle, NY