Project Name：Refugees Act and Communicate for Health (REACH): Using Technology to Increase Health Literacy and Health Care Access for Refugees in Turkey(Phase 2)

Project status：Completed projects

Cooperating Country：Middle East, Turkey

Project Description：

Turkey has the highest number of refugees in the world, with 3.6 million Syrian nationals due to the protracted Syrian crisis. These refugees are limited by factors such as availability, affordability, geographic accessibility, acceptability, quality, and language barriers, resulting in extremely limited accessibility to health care. The TaiwanICDF cooperated with Columbia University's Center for Sustainable Development (CSD) to implement the "Refugees Act and Communicate for Health (REACH): Using Technology to Increase Health Literacy and Health Care Access for Refugees in Turkey (Phase 1)" in 2019. The prototype of the mHealth application has been completed, and the two organizations have decided to continue the second phase of the project to promote the mHealth application. Overall, the project components include:
1. REACH mHealth application user experiences of refugee and local youth is documented through a quantitative pilot study in Istanbul.
2. The REACH mHealth application is fully developed and ready to be freely downloaded in Android and iOS versions.
3. Research findings and information about the REACH mHealth application are disseminated to youth and stakeholders in Turkey and abroad via the REACH website, social media, outreach activities and scientific publications.

Implementation Start Date：2020-12-28

Implementation End Date：2022-03-01

Source of Funding：The TaiwanICDF

Project Objectives：Refugee youth and disadvantaged youth in Turkey have improved health literacy, access to health information and health care via the REACH mHealth application.

Executing Agency：Center for Sustainable Development(CSD), Columbia University

Implementation Arrangement：The TaiwanICDF will designate a consultant stationed in Turkey to participate in the project or dispatch a volunteer to assist in the implementation of the project; CSD will implement the proposed activities and liaise with local NGOs and government offices.