From an Unfinished Journey to a New Beginning: Nancy Kafaoğlu

Sometimes a small step changes the course of an entire life. When hairdresser Nancy Kafaoğlu crossed from Latakia to Türkiye in 2014 just to buy a new device for her business, she never guessed that this journey would turn into a permanent relocation. Unable to return due to the closing of borders and the deepening war in her country, Nancy decided to hold onto life in an unfamiliar land, using the professional expertise she had in her hands.

From Streets Visited Door to Door to Her Own Workshop

For 37-year-old Nancy, a mother of three, her profession is not just a job; it also means her children’s future and the household’s livelihood. Starting her profession at the age of 14 in Syria and receiving formal training in this field, Nancy spent her first years in Türkiye serving clients by packing her supplies into a bag and going door-to-door. Despite the harsh conditions and the destruction brought by the earthquake disaster, Nancy removed the word “stop” from her vocabulary. She turned one room of the temporary living space she built for her family into the first hub of the dream she had been building for years.

Professionalism Growing in a Single Room

Nancy’s biggest turning point was the decision to convert a room in her home into a hair salon. The essential hairdressing supplies provided to her through MaviKalem transformed this room from being “makeshift” into a professional workspace. Instead of wandering from street to street with her supplies, she now hosts her clients in this room where she has established her own setup. This small yet qualified space allows Nancy to both be there for her children and practice her profession in a more modern, organized manner.

Tabelayı Asmaya Doğru: Net Hedefler

Nancy’nin hikayesi, şartlar ne kadar kısıtlı olursa olsun, teknik bilgi ve emeğin birleştiğinde nasıl bir çıkış yolu yarattığını gösteriyor. Kendi tırnaklarıyla kazıyarak Hatay’da yeni bir düzen kuran Nancy’nin şimdiki hedefi çok net: İşini resmileştirmek ve o küçük odanın kapısına gururla kendi tabelasını asmak.

Onun bu kararlı yürüyüşü, bir kadının emeğiyle neleri değiştirebileceğini ve umudun her koşulda üretimle yeşerebileceğini bizlere bir kez daha söylüyor.

Toward Hanging the Sign:  Defined Targets

Nancy’s story demonstrates how technical knowledge and hard work create a way out, no matter how limited the conditions may be. Nancy, who built a new life for herself in Hatay from scratch, now has a very clear goal: to formalize her business and proudly hang her own sign on the door of that small room.

Her determined march tells us once again what a woman can change through her hard work, and that hope can flourish through production under any circumstances.