Hi, I fled to Turkey due to the war and I am a Syrian garment worker. I am working in a garment factory in Istanbul. The working conditions were very bad before and we were forced to do the worst jobs. We were paying lower than the other workers which was less than minimum wage. Also, our colleagues and headworker were not calling our names but we were called “Arab”.  However, we did not talk to anybody due to the fear of losing our jobs. One day, a team of inspector of the brand that the workplace I work with is contracted came to our workplace and they talked to us. After that, workers from MUDEM came to our workplace as well. We did not release our workplace related problems as we did not trust them at first. Also, our factory owner was controlling us whether or not we are telling something against him.

One day, I told MUDEM that we are not receiving our salary. We were not receiving our money and also we were exposed to discrimination for being Syrian. MUDEM talked to our factory owner and counselled to pay our wages regularly. After that we have started to receive our minimum wage regularly. However, the discrimination and workplace abuse were still ongoing actions. We were feeling bad and thinking of what we have done to deserve such behaviors.

MUDEM workers talked to us and listenned our needs and problems. Also they met with our Turkish worker colleagues and headworker separately several times. After this explanatory meetings, they started to call our names and not “Arab” as well as act more positively to us. So, we are no longer esposed to discrimination and receive our salary regularly. God bless MUDEM, thank you.