Assyrians Without Borders, in collaboration with the Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul (SRII), ran a project from August 2014 to 2017 aimed at planning and implementing meaningful activities among Assyrian refugees from Syria in Istanbul, Turkey.
The overall goal of the project was to improve the refugees’ mental health, enable their integration into society, and build a sense of community among the Assyrian refugees. Through this initiative, they had the opportunity to support each other and make use of one another’s knowledge and skills. The traumatic experiences caused by the Syrian war made this project extremely urgent for Assyrians Without Borders. The project included, among other things, language instruction with the aim of strengthening the refugees’ Assyrian, Turkish, and English language skills. Today, the project is a self-sustaining initiative that continues to meet the goals set by Assyrians Without Borders together with SRII.
In August 2019, several fires broke out in Assyrian villages in Tur Abdin. The fires completely destroyed large parts of the harvest that many Assyrians rely on for their livelihood. As a result, Assyrians Without Borders decided to procure ten fire extinguishers and set up an emergency aid room in the village of Arkah to help prevent and improve preparedness for the recurring fires in the area.
On February 6, 2023, powerful earthquakes struck southern Turkey. Many Assyrian families were severely affected due to the catastrophic consequences. Assyrians Without Borders quickly responded by providing essential supplies to affected families in the areas reached by our volunteers. Temporary homes were also set up later in the year for families who had lost their homes. A key factor was being able to provide our local partner with a larger buffer early on, which made planning easier, as the emergency relief work continued for several months.
During the winter of 2023, a new heating system was installed in the Derkube school and church building, with the help of our partner Turabdin Süryani Kültür ve Sanat Derneği, to ease the living conditions for Assyrian families in the village.
In 2025, Assyrians Without Borders sponsored the construction of a playground in the village of B’Sorino, Tur Abdin, carried out by our partner Turabdin Süryani Kültür ve Sanat Derneği.
Assyrians Without Borders also regularly distributes between 600–700 Christmas presents to children in the Assyrian villages of Tur Abdin, a popular and well-appreciated project among the local Assyrian families.
