Türkiye: Help for children against the late consequences of the earthquake

In the south of Türkiye, the Terre of the Hommes partner organization "Kirkayak Kültür" helps children on the run and families of the cathedral and abdal groups.

Fatma Coşkun Caymaz coordinates the aid programs of the human rights organization "Kirkayak Kültür" in the surrounding area of ​​Gaziatep - the city in which the earthquake struck particularly devastating in February 2023, 70 kilometers from the epicenter.

Committed citizens of Gazianteps founded Kirkayak Kültür 2011. The goal was always to improve the life situation of disadvantaged groups and protect their rights. Those of the cathedral and abdal families, of which hundreds of thousands live in the Kurdish areas of the Southeast Turkey. And from people from Syria who flee from the neighboring country before the civil war.

Even before the quake, the situation was anything but simple: refugees and migrants are stigmatized, socially and economically excluded, live in poverty. Many children of the cathedral and abdal groups have to do child labor to support their families. "Reading, going to school, learning a profession- this is seen with skepticism in the cathedral and abdal communities," reports Fatma.

When the earthquake came in February 2023, it hit those who are on the edge of society anyway. Fatma and their colleagues provided emergency aid, distributed food, conveyed emergency shelters. The number of those who need help exceeds the resources of the organization - until today. »Many families have no regular income. At the moment, this means that you can often not procure the bare essentials. ”In this situation, Kirkayak Kültür began to concentrate on support for women and children a few weeks after the tremor: food cards, baby food, diapers, hygiene articles. The organization was able to help around 2,500 families.

And Kirkayak Kültür continues to work on her long-term goal of sustainably improving the life and legal situation of the children. The team achieved an important milestone in January 2024: From now on, a scholarship program enables more children from particularly disadvantaged families to attend a school. Fatma and their colleagues are sure that education can be the key to a better future for the children:

»To work for the disadvantaged children, women and families in general so that they can lead a decent life ... When I look back, it feels really good. But most proud makes me that more children now attend school. With our educational project we started creating dreams for children. "