Last week, on April 23, on Turkish Children’s Day, German President, Frank Walter-Steinmeier and an accompanying delegation, visited UOSSM’s mental health and psychosocial support project for children in Turkey, supported by the federal German grant – GIZ, and is provided, in the Nurdagi camps – a displacement camp established for those affected by the Turkey/Syria Earthquake on Feb. 6, 2023.
President Steinmeier was briefed on the mental health and psychosocial support services and activities being provided to the children in the camp, which focuses on therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder, and protection activities for the Syrian and Turkish children in the camp who survived the earthquake. This project has been vital to address the urgent needs of Syrians and their host communities and has made a positive difference in their lives.
President Steinmeier was very impressed and stressed the fact that these important services must continue to be provided. He was pleased to observe the positive impact Germany helped contribute to.
Dr. Ghanem Tayara, President of UOSSM International said, “On behalf of UOSSM, we extend our gratitude for the unwavering support and assistance provided by Germany in alleviating the suffering of Syrians, Syrian refugees, and host communities, especially in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake. UOSSM highly values Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s visit to one of UOSSM’s projects during his official visit to Turkey. His visit and his presence underscores Germany’s firm commitment to the people in the region. We look forward to further collaboration and warmly invite the Federal President and other German officials to conduct more such visits to meet the people we serve, affirming together our pursuit of a brighter future for all.”
Dr. Khaula Sawah, president of UOSSM USA said, “We are so grateful to President Steinmeier for his visit, and for observing the activities of the project that Germany supported. Our teams work tirelessly to provide the psychosocial support needed to the most vulnerable, the children, who survived the devastating earthquake last year, and we are incredibly grateful to have the continued unwavering German support of Syrians affected by the war, and most recently by the devastating earthquake in 2023.”
