After the earthquake, new chances for Nur
Above: A physiotherapist from Sened, a partner of Save the Children, conducts exercises with a young girl with cerebral palsy who was affected by the recent earthquake in Türkiye. Photo: Kusay Hassun/Sened
When Ayse* found out she was pregnant with her first child, she was filled with hope, love and excitement.
The first year of baby Nur's* life passed like any other child’s. She appeared healthy and was meeting the usual development milestones. But, as she continued to grow, her mother noticed she was having difficulty walking.
This was the beginning of a long search for answers about Nur’s health. Ayse and her husband went from one hospital to another with their daughter, each visit leaving them with new doubts and worries.
Finally, an MRI revealed Nur had cerebral palsy, and this was affecting her ability to walk.
Nur is now four and continues to face daily challenges due to her disability, including difficulties with motor control. Her parents are using all available resources to help her, but progress has been slow. Nur is enrolled in a specialised therapeutic school to improve her skills, but doctors have told Ayse that surgery is necessary for Nur to be able to walk – a surgery that is financially out of reach for the family.
In February 2022, Nur and her family were dealt a new challenge, after a devastating earthquake impacted Türkiye and Syria.
In the aftermath, local NGO Sened was working in their municipality in Gaziantep to determine the needs of families affected by the disaster.
The province was one of the most significantly impacted by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake, with many families left homeless and now living in temporary container villages.
Sened, in partnership with Save the Children Türkiye and with funding from the Australian Government through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership, has been providing emergency child protection and mental health and psychosocial support to earthquake-affected provinces.
Through their outreach to affected families, the team met with Nur’s family to better understand her situation.
Ayse told Sened staff how Nur longed to play with other children, but faced exclusion and bullying from her peers due to her disability.
Above: A physiotherapist from Sened, a partner of Save the Children, conducts exercises with a young girl with cerebral palsy who was affected by the recent earthquake in Türkiye. Photo: Kusay Hassun/Sened
“I see my daughter sitting at the entrance of the house, watching other children having fun with each other, and she calls them to join them in playing, but they bully her, mock her and tell her that she is not able to participate because of her disability. This causes me great pain,” Ayse said.
“Her disability prevents her from sitting properly or standing. I have to carry her everywhere with me, I cannot leave her on the sofa or bed because her feet do not allow her to safely sit on furniture.”
The team registered the family to access subsidised food and everyday essentials, provided hygiene kits, as well diapers and specialised toys for Nur to help improve her motor skills.
But most importantly, the Sened team worked with Ayse and her husband to initiate a treatment plan for Nur's condition.
The family attended an appointment with a neurologist at Gaziantep Hospital, with a case worker providing support. The appointment led to Nur being registered with the municipality to receive pro-bono healthcare.
In addition, Nur has been receiving intensive physiotherapy from Sened to improve her functionality. If physiotherapy alone is not enough, she will undergo surgery, which will now be covered in full by the municipality.
"I couldn't believe it when I heard that the municipality accepted my daughter's case,” Ayse said.
“Tears of joy filled my eyes, and hope rekindled in my heart. I am deeply thankful for the care and efforts of others.”
“We are not alone in this journey, and I eagerly await the day my daughter can stand and play with her peers."
The AHP Türkiye earthquake response, delivered through Save the Children, Sened, World Vision and International Blue Crescent, is delivering high-quality, complementary and inclusive child protection, gender-based violence services, mental health and psychosocial care to the communities most affected by the earthquake. Support services are tailored to address the complex and specific needs of different families, including referrals to specialised services and access to resources such as emergency funds.
*Names changed