September 22, 2025
When Esma lost her father, she was determined to take care of her chronically ill mother. But tragedy struck again. The catastrophic 7.8 magnitude Türkiye earthquake on February 6, 2023, devastated the region and reduced Esma’s thriving handicraft business in Adıyaman to rubble. Like thousands of earthquake survivors, she was left struggling to make ends meet.
But Esma’s story doesn’t end there; thanks to the Zakat Foundation of America’s Livelihoods Program, a new chapter began.
In the aftermath of this massive natural disaster, ZFA launched a powerful, long-term relief effort focused on women’s empowerment and sustainable recovery. Our Eliyaman Women’s Cooperative, a community-based handicraft bazaar in Adıyaman, empowered 150 disadvantaged women affected by the Türkiye earthquake, including Esma, by providing economic opportunities and helping reintegrate them into society.
Esma began rebuilding her life through our handicraft bazaar, where she received vocational training in tailoring and sewing, along with access to materials, equipment, and a safe, supportive workspace. "This program didn’t just give me a skill,” Esma says, “It gave me my dignity back.”
Our center not only supported the production of local goods by these skilled women, but also opened doors to global markets, fostering economic resilience, enabling cultural exchange, and nurturing the confidence needed to move forward.
The dangerous consequences of poverty often stretch across generations. Widows, sole breadwinners, elderly caregivers, and other marginalized groups are trapped in the daily agony of securing basics like food, shelter, and safety.
