“They listened to me”: How UNHCR’s counselling line gave a Syrian mother strength to rebuild her life
“They listened to me”: How UNHCR’s counselling line gave a Syrian mother strength to rebuild her life
For Randa Bizo, a 39-year-old mother of three daughters, the past decade in Türkiye has been a journey of resilience, hardship, and hope. Originally from Aleppo, she fled the war in Syria and arrived in Türkiye ten years ago, joining her husband who was already living in Istanbul. At the time, her two eldest daughters were toddlers, aged three and one. Her youngest was born in Türkiye in 2016.
Life in a foreign country brought new challenges. A year ago, Randa separated from her husband. Since then, she has been raising her three daughters—now aged 8, 11, and14—on her own. All of them are enrolled in school.
To provide for her family, Randa works as a tailor. But pain in her hands makes it difficult to sustain the long hours required. “It is hard to work, but I have no relatives here and I must take care of my daughters,” she says.
It was during her marital difficulties that Randa first learned about UNHCR’s counselling line. “My friends in the neighbourhood told me about it after I said I was having problems with my husband. They said the line could help me,” she recalls.
That call became a turning point. “They listened to me. Not everyone listens to my story,” says Randa. “They gave me attention, supported me, and listened to my history.”
Through the counselling line, Randa received not only psychological support but also legal assistance for her divorce and custody proceedings, and financial assistance that helped cover essentials such as school costs, electricity and water bills, and medication not covered by public health insurance. “The counselling line gave me a safe environment,” she says.
When UNHCR’s cash support programme ended due to recent funding challenges, Randa struggled to make ends meet, often borrowing from friends. Yet she remains deeply grateful for the support she has received. “Thank you everyone in UNHCR,” she says.
Today, Randa continues to dream for herself and her daughters. Before coming to Türkiye, she had begun studying law and still hopes to one day be a lawyer and write a book about supporting women through the law. Her daughters also have big ambitions: her eldest hopes to be a writer or artist, the middle one dreams of becoming a fashion designer or veterinarian, and the youngest wants to become a doctor “to treat my sick mom.”
Randa has a powerful message for women facing similar struggles: “To every woman who is in the same situation I am, please don’t be quiet. Call the counselling line. Please speak. Don’t feel that you are alone. There is always someone who can listen and understand your story.”
For Randa, the counselling line was more than a number to call, it was a lifeline of safety, dignity, and hope for the future.
Since 2019, the UNHCR Counselling Line in Türkiye has been instrumental in assisting refugees by offering essential information and guidance. It often serves as their initial point of contact with UNHCR. Operated under the direct supervision of the UNHCR Protection team, the service provides counseling in 14 languages, including Arabic, Pashto, Farsi/Dari, and Kurdish, reflecting the main nationalities of callers from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq. From January to September 2025, the Counselling Line supported more than 150,000 individuals through phone counseling. The most frequent inquiries related to resettlement, followed by requests for legal assistance. Additionally, approximately 14,000 persons with specific needs were identified and referred to relevant functional units for further protection interventions.