Turkish women rebuild their businesses three years after the devastating earthquake – Türkiye

Istanbul, February 6, 2026:

Three years after the earthquake in Turkey and Syria that killed nearly 60,000 people and caused $150 billion in damage, survivors are gradually rebuilding their lives with support from Islamic Relief’s entrepreneurship programme.

In natural disasters such as earthquakes, women and girls are often disproportionately affected – they face specific protection and health risks during the initial emergency, then are often marginalized during the recovery and reconstruction phase, and are less likely to return to work or education.

Islamic Relief’s response to the earthquake specifically aimed to support women entrepreneurs to start and rebuild their businesses, through cash investment and expert training.

Bushra Celik, a 34-year-old mother of three and owner of a textile company in Gaziantep, southern Turkey, lost almost everything in the earthquake, including her relatives, her home, her shop and her machinery. Bushra and her family spent very cold nights sleeping in their car because it was the only thing they had left.

Needing to rebuild from scratch, Islamic Relief helped her buy new machines and find a shop. Three years later, her profits are almost back to where they were before the quake, and she hopes to surpass them soon.

“I started my business 20 years ago,” Bushra told Islamic Relief. “Just when I thought everything was going well, the earthquake happened. I lost almost everything and it was close to zero. We lost my mother-in-law, my father-in-law, my cousin and my cousin’s children. I had nothing left but the car – no clothes, my house collapsed, and there was nothing left of the work. It’s not just about the buildings, it’s about everything that was inside – the equipment and machinery. After the earthquake, the shock was so great, the only thing that matters is my life and the life of my children and my family.”

“Getting back up after the earthquake initially seemed next to impossible. It is important to know that we are not left alone. Even today, three years later, Islamic Relief is still with us. I would like to thank everyone involved in this. The feeling that I have not fallen behind in life and that someone cares was very valuable to me.”

Hager Sonmez, a mother of five and textile entrepreneur from Gaziantep, was relieved to find that her business was not destroyed in the earthquake. But the effects of the disaster devastated the city’s economy and it soon struggled to keep business going. In 2024, Islamic Relief helped her obtain new machines, moved her shop to a busier area, and provided her with an expert mentor. Today, she says, her project has become 30% more profitable than it was before the earthquake.

“Women face many unique challenges during and after disasters,” said Islamic Relief Turkey CEO Kehriban Parsbanci. “The rate of recovery of these women’s businesses is a testament to their resilience, international support, and our country’s recovery from one of the most devastating earthquakes on record. Islamic Relief’s programs represent more than just individual business recovery – they also contribute to revitalizing the local economy, empowering women, and ensuring families have access to food and financial security.”

Islamic Relief supported more than 400 entrepreneurs in three earthquake-affected cities in Türkiye – providing them with money, training and technical expertise. This project is part of Islamic Relief’s broader program to support recovery and reconstruction, in coordination with local authorities. During the earthquake emergency, Islamic Relief supported hundreds of thousands of people in Türkiye and Syria with food, cash, shelter, medicines, hygiene kits and other life-saving assistance.

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake was one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded in the Middle East and Levant. It struck on February 6, 2023, affecting about 15.7 million people. It is estimated that it has claimed the lives of about 60,000 people in the region, and caused losses estimated at $150 billion in Türkiye alone. More than 60,000 buildings were destroyed, including 11,900 in Gaziantep province.

The post Turkish women rebuild their businesses three years after the devastating earthquake appeared first on International Islamic Relief.

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