Skip to content 
FOCUS USA
“Vocational and technical training form part of a wider strategy to equip the refugee community with skills they can use to obtain safe, regular work in Türkiye and wherever they may emigrate to in the future.”
Al-Rahim Moosa, Country Manager for Focus Humanitarian Assistance, Türkiye and Lebanon.
Cosmetology Training: Igniting the spark of self-confidence
With the support of the American Academy of Continuing Education and Mentorship (ACEM), FOCUS conducted a series of five-day, intensive courses in cosmetology in Sivas and Karaman, Türkiye. The courses provided participant beneficiaries a set of skills including eyebrow threading, waxing, chemical applications, manicures, haircutting and hairstyling.
ACEM Chief Executive Farid Premani, whose global training initiatives have been implemented in Portugal, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, founded ACEM “to reach the youth in underserved communities and equip them with the tools and knowledge necessary for personal and professional growth. We set out to build a bridge between developed and developing countries, bringing the knowledge base from North America and extending our outreach globally.”
“We set out to build a bridge between developed and developing countries, bringing the knowledge base from North America and extending our outreach globally.” ACEM Chief Executive Farid Premani
“It was truly satisfying to train two hundred women in a skillset that would enhance their livelihoods”, remarked Khairunissa Bhanjee and Khairunissa (Nisha) Panjwani, cosmetology trainers with ACEM. “We aim to equip our participants with the skills and knowledge needed to bring out their talent.”
Figure 1 – Participants in Karaman learn about hairstyling.
The course was opened to participants from both the Afghan refugee community as well as the host Turkish community, with a view to facilitating social cohesion and building bridges across different communities.
“Social cohesion is not just about living together,” explains Buruç Parlak, Project Manager at YSYD-ASRA. “It’s about celebrating diversity” which he compares to a “uniquely patterned kaleidoscope” of cultures.
Translation of the curriculum to Dari and Turkish were provided by volunteers and YSYD-ASRA field staff, who also operate FOCUS’ community centers on its behalf.
FOCUS Community Centers: Advancing health & well-being
Participants of the mobile phone repair workshop in Karabük, Turkiye learn
from ACEM instructor Nadeem Sirajali.
The community centers – operational in Sivas, Karaman and Karabük – serve as places for the community to congregate and participate in community programs including group therapy sessions, child friendly spaces, vocational training programs, and early childhood development sessions.
Training in Mobile Phone Repair: A growing, sustainable practice
Earlier in 2022, ACEM provided workshops in mobile phone repair to participants out of FOCUS’ community center in Karabük, Turkiye.
Courses are chosen based on market demand research and have been offered thus far in welding, carpentry, electrical installation, truck driving and food processing. Additional planned courses this year include home support and personal care work.
Participants of the short-order cooks program in Sivas prepare a meal for trainers Khairunissa Bhanjee
and Khairunissa Panjwani on World Refugee Day (June 20th).
Courses are chosen based on market demand research, and have been offered thus far in welding, carpentry, electrical installation, truck driving and food processing. Additional planned courses this year include home support and personal care work.
“Livelihood interventions, including vocational training programs, empower refugees to become more resilient and reduce their reliance on external support,” says Shakeel Hirji, Global Coordinator of FOCUS. “But equally important, they’re integral for restoring one’s dignity and self-appreciation.”
Cosmetology graduates from Sivas, Türkiye with their Certificates of Completion,
awarded by ACEM, FOCUS and YSYD-ASRA.
Graduates of the mobile phone repair workshop in Karabük, Turkiye
with instructors Nadeem Sirajali and Suleman Bharwani
FOCUS continues to support displaced people in Türkiye. Join Join us in championing skills training as a catalyst for lasting change, fostering empowerment and building a brighter future for displaced individuals worldwide. Learn more at Focusha.org.
