February 6th Earthquake Relief Efforts

On February 6, 2023, after two earthquakes measuring 7.7 and 7.6 in magnitude, centered in Kahramanmaraş and Elbistan, which affected 10 cities in our country, we began our emergency aid efforts. From the very first moment of the earthquake, we prepared our teams to support hundreds of thousands of people affected by the disaster. We set out to deliver emergency humanitarian supplies, including food and shelter, primarily to Adıyaman, Hatay, and Malatya. In coordination with local authorities and NGOs, we delivered urgent supplies such as food and hygiene packages, stoves, blankets, comforters, power banks, undergarments, thermal underwear, and water, especially to the affected children in the region. We conducted needs assessments in villages and neighborhoods far from city centers and delivered aid based on updated needs. After the search and rescue operations in the earthquake zone were completed, our social assessment teams, consisting of social workers, conducted surveys and continued to deliver in-kind and financial aid with great care. In Istanbul, we participated in the coordination teams for sorting in-kind donations organized by district governorships, municipalities, and youth centers. We prepared and continuously updated our database to provide the necessary workforce for this task and made it available for our volunteers. We assisted in the sorting and distribution of in-kind donations with the support of volunteers. In addition to emergency humanitarian aid, starting from the second month after the earthquake, we carried out psychosocial support activities for children, young people, and parents in the disaster zone, in coordination with the Ministry of Family and Social Services, with volunteer mental health professionals. 

With the support of our donors and volunteers, we delivered aid to more than 46,000 people affected by the earthquake as part of our emergency aid efforts.

Pandemic Emergency Aid

During the Covid-19 pandemic, which had a global impact, many parents were unable to continue their work. Many families who relied on daily labor lost their income sources, which led to significant financial hardships. To support orphaned and needy children living in households where the conditions were further exacerbated by the pandemic, we launched emergency aid efforts, including delivering hygiene kits to households and providing financial assistance to help pay for rent and bills. We also established volunteer information teams to contact all families in our system and provide them with information about Covid-19 precautions.

Hope for Rohingya Children

To improve the living conditions of 1.2 million Rohingya people, including 500,000 children, living in refugee camps in Bangladesh after fleeing Myanmar, we established the “Iyyilikhane Village” in 2018, consisting of 28 bamboo houses, with the support of our donors. We also built five playgrounds with slides and swings. Additionally, we supported the provision of food for one year for the Children’s Rehabilitation Center in the camps, which educates 200 children.

Emergency Relief for Syria

Due to the civil war in Syria, children living under very difficult conditions as refugees within the country were provided with emergency winter aid in 2018 to protect them from the freezing cold. With the support of philanthropists and through the Turkish Red Crescent, we delivered winter clothing and blankets to hundreds of orphaned and needy children in Syria.