Turkish phone operator develops app for Syrian refugees

The “Hello Hope” app aims to teach basic Turkish words and expressions both in written and spoken formats to ease the daily lives of the refugees in Turkey, the phone operator said.      

“The application provides additional location-based features to figure out how to reach healthcare services or close service points. Users also can connect to the Arabic call center with just one click,” Turkcell said.    
  
 The mobile operator said the “Hello Hope” application can be found in iOS and Android application stores and is open to all users from different mobile operators.      

Turkcell, currently giving services to more than 1.2 million Syrian refugees, represented the communication sector at a U.N. forum on Sept. 20 where the massive Syrian refugee influx, considered the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II, was discussed.      

According to the Turkcell statement, the company’s CEO, Kaan Terzioğlu addressed 350 prominent leaders including U.N. General Secretary Ban Ki-moon, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and actor and filmmaker Ewan McGregor during the session.      

“The future of Syrian children and teenagers is in our hands. It is time to discuss the integration issue,” said Terzioğlu, explaining the solutions provided by Turkcell to meet the communication needs of Syrian refugees.      
He stressed that civilizations historically were built on migration waves, saying societies and economies would be strengthened rather than weakened by such migration movements.      

“We believe that the chance of a non-traumatic, meaningful life for the hundreds of thousands Syrian children and teenagers, who would stay with us at least in the midterm, relies on the integration issue. We are working to meet their communication needs in order to help in their daily lives,” Terzioğlu said.  

Turkcell has also introduced the country’s first Arabic call center as part of the services given to Syrians in the countrywide refugee camps.