Farah is a call centre operator working at the UNHCR Türkiye Counselling Line. Along with her 50 colleagues, she receives various daily inquiries from refugees and asylum-seekers across the country and answers a wide range of questions, including requests for information on available services, legal cases, enrolling in education, and third-country resettlement.
While everyone on the Counselling Line team has a different story, one thing they have in common is the desire to support people in need of assistance, and Farah is no different. She came to Türkiye 16 years ago from Iran and started working on social responsibility projects while she was a student. She always dreamed about becoming a part of a humanitarian worker. Now, as she completes her second year with the Counselling Line, she feels very happy about shaping her career like she always wanted.
Her days are quite busy. She receives up to 60 calls each day and attends training almost every month to learn more about how to handle special cases and to receive updates on the legal system and UNHCR guidelines. She says that the operators must stay informed to be able to take care of every call on a case-by-case basis and adds: “We are the frontline of UNHCR, and we are dealing with the most vulnerable people. We try our best to provide a service unique for each caller.”
“We are the frontline of UNHCR, and we are dealing with the most vulnerable people. We try our best to provide a service unique for each caller.”
Farah is also one of the few operators who answer Gender Based Violence (GBV) -related calls, in addition to general inquiries. Answering that many calls can be challenging. Farah says she used to feel overwhelmed each day, especially at the times when she was not able to help someone, but it became easier once she realized how much a conversation means to refugees: “When refugees reach out, even a short conversation, having someone listen to their problems, or being provided with counselling, can make a big difference in their mood. Even though we listen to many heartbreaking stories each day, being able to help someone makes me feel very satisfied with my job.”
“Even though we listen to many heartbreaking stories each day, being able to help someone makes me feel very satisfied with my job.”
Since Farah started her position during the pandemic, when all operators were working from home, she never had the chance to meet her colleagues in person. Fortunately, the Counselling Line team united in their new office this year. Now, while she is adapting to their new office, she enjoys being together with the team, feeling their support, and building new friendships.
Since becoming operational in July 2019, the UNHCR Türkiye Counselling Line receives approximately 80,000 calls every month. The line currently has 50 operators taking calls in 15 languages, predominantly Arabic, Farsi, English, Turkish, French, Kurdish, and Somali, in addition to other languages upon request, such as Pashtu, Urdu, and Russian. UNHCR Türkiye’s Counselling Line can be reached at 444 48 68.
Thanks to the support of EU Humanitarian Aid and other donors, the UNHCR Counselling Line provides refugees and asylum-seekers counselling on procedures, rights, and obligations relating to their stay in Türkiye, as well as third-country resettlement. It also provides information on available services and advice relevant to their individual situation, all of which are critical to helping refugees improve their living conditions in their country of asylum.
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