From Trauma to Togetherness: How Generous Listening Is Helping Communities Heal

In the aftermath of the devastating Türkiye earthquake in February 2023, we at Vuslat Foundation asked ourselves: How can we help communities heal and rebuild from within? Our answer was to tap into the transformative power of generous listening.

Shortly after the earthquake, we launched the “Generous Listening Emotional Support Groups”, offering a safe and empathetic space for women affected by trauma. These groups aim to foster emotional resilience, strengthen coping mechanisms, and build a sense of connection and community.

To date, we have:

• Supported 170 women through a twelve-week program, and 650 women through a five-week program, totaling 820 women across two cities, Hatay and Adıyaman.
• Held 450+ sessions to provide continuous emotional support.
• Organized 21 reunion sessions, both online and in-person, bringing together participants who completed the programs to nurture ongoing connection and sustain emotional well-being.
• Developed a comprehensive Facilitator’s Guide to ensure consistent, high-quality support.
• Created a scalable model adaptable for future disasters and trauma-affected communities.

The impact has been significant. Participants report a 12% increase in emotional awareness, a 9% increase in psychological resilience, a 10% increase in sense of belonging, and a 13% increase in self-esteem levels.

One participant, N.D., reflected on the experience:

“My pain has lightened a bit. It seemed like only my pain was enormous. Then I heard the same things from all my friends. They all had losses, they all had pains. Their houses were gone, and so on. Because we experienced the same things, I realized, yes, many people are in the same situation. I am not alone. It helped me a bit to recover.”

 

Our next goal is to empower participants to become facilitators themselves, ensuring the long-term sustainability of this initiative in their communities.