The survivors of Türkiye’s Feb. 6, 2023 earthquakes will not be alone in Ramadan, now there’s light at the end of the tunnel, Fatma Meriç Yılmaz, the head of Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay), told reporters from a Turkish Red Crescent logistics base in southern Hatay province, ahead of the upcoming holy Islamic month.
“As always, we’re kicking off our Ramadan campaign this year with two top priorities,” Yılmaz said, listing the Gaza Strip under Israeli bombardment and Türkiye’s 11 southeastern provinces devastated by two huge back-to-back tremors in February last year where more than 53,000 people were killed and millions of others displaced.
“A tragedy is unfolding in Gaza where people are fighting famine. Just yesterday, we sent our biggest yet aid shipment for the strip, demonstrating once again that Turkish people will continue to stand by Palestine during Ramadan, as well,” Yılmaz said, referring to Marin, the biggest cargo ship Türkiye has sent so far to Gaza. The ship will deliver over 2,700 tons of food, water and other materials to blocked strip through the Rafah border crossing by Sunday.
“In Türkiye, there are still major challenges in the earthquake zone,” Yılmaz continued.
“Victims aren’t living on the streets or going to bed hungry. Permanent residences have begun to be given to survivors. But this is still a long process and people are now living different lives from before,” she said.
On the outer rims of Hatay’s epicenter, dozens of container cities sprawl out on tight plots, housing thousands displaced on Feb. 6.
Daily life is yet to return to normal but aid operations, debris cleanup and reconstruction are rapidly underway, starting with the historic center of Antakya.
The Turkish Red Crescent, in cooperation with the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), ministries, government institutions and international organizations, including other Red Crescent branches, has been working around the clock to keep victims fed and sheltered across 11 provinces.
Its Hatay branch includes both personnel and volunteers who are currently living in containers but continuing to volunteer despite it all, according to Yılmaz.
“With this campaign, we want to convey this message: We are here. we want to set up sahur and iftar tables for Ramadan. There is now light at the end of the tunnel, it’s shining brightly,” she said.
“This Ramadan, victims of the earthquakes may be sad remembering their losses but we want to remind them we are here and will be here for them (with this campaign).”
At the Kızılay storehouse, crates of clothes for children and adults, food packs, hygiene products, sleeping bags and the like sit lined up in dozens of rows for delivery around quake-hit Hatay.
Personnel, volunteers and Yılmaz work side by side in a U-shaped line around a long table and pack up boxes with bags of tea and bottles of oil in neat and quick procession.
Broader Ramadan campaign
Kızılay will be active not only in the earthquake zone during Ramadan but also countrywide. Yılmaz said the organization is aiming to reach out to some 8.8 million people both at home and abroad with a 1.2 billion aid fund.
“Like every Ramadan, we’re distributing food packs this month, up to 220,000 boxes, including ready-to-eat canned foods, flour, legumes and sunflower oil,” she informed.
Kızılay has also prepared a donation model of TL 617 million ($19.31 million) that will reach out to some 300,000 families across Türkiye, delivering TL 2,000 to each family directly into their bank accounts.
Yılmaz further stated that the organization aims to transition to a cash-oriented aid model, “which we consider to be more effective.”
“We want the receivers to be able to spend the funds however they want,” she explained.
“To ensure the return to a socioeconomic normal, we want our aid model to prevent dependency on constant aid and help people stand on their own feet and spend their earnings however they like,” she said.
There are also efforts underway to increase blood stocks with a donation drive ahead of and during Ramadan and the summer months when blood donations decline.
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