Heal the Wounds in Turkiye

After the devastating earthquake, employment and sheltering problems for the families living in the earthquake zones continue. Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants (ASAM) set off the areas where earthquake victims can meet their basic needs in the earthquake provinces.

Earthquake survivor Nermin, a 42-year-old mother of 3 children, applied for the ASAM’s employment projects and she is able to improve her family’s living condition now.

Nermin, who was a cook before the earthquake, suffered from worklessness due to the devastation caused by the earthquake. She says ‘I was having a hard time.  ASAM came to me at my most tough moment. I couldn’t believe it was true! Nermin finds it very valuable to be able to work at a job after the earthquake.

Nermin states that she is very happy to have a home to return and a job to go to. She says ‘There are small gifts that I bring to my children and when I see the excitement in their eyes, I renew my hope once again, I believe that everything will be okay.’.

Nermin, who lives in an area where the destruction is very heavy, adds, "There are people who lost their homes, families and everything, and more employment is needed here."

Nermin says “Sometimes we do not have vegetables to eat. Our friends invite us to their garden. We collect food from there and cook our food, and I share whatever is leftover at my house with them. If my neighbor goes to bed hungry, what does it mean if I go to bed full? We women are very strong. "When we come together, we can overcome everything," she says, expressing how empowered women are with their solidarity.

(Note: The real name of the beneficiary has been changed.)

The earthquake that hit 11 provinces of Turkiye on February 6 affected the lives of millions of people. The world mobilized to carry out activities quickly and effectively in the earthquake-affected areas to provide support and to accelerate the healing process of people.

Sevda is an earthquake survivor living in the earthquake zone with her two daughters. One of her daughters is a high school student and the other is a university student. Sevda and her family were born and raised in Antakya. Sevda says she divides her life into two as before and after the earthquake. She added “We had not yet overcome the shock of the event we experienced in the first week of the earthquake. Then when we realized what a disaster this was, we realized that we need each other.

It is thought that the impact of the earthquake will decrease as a result of long-term and sustainable studies. Sevda and her family also agree, but Sevda loves Antakya very much and does not want to leave. She is working with her children to establish a new life there.

Sevda says “People had to change cities. I didn't want to leave here. We had a lot of trouble. Everything that happened in our lives was turned upside down, but I still did not want to leave the city where I was born and grew up. We have to build a new life here, we have to rebuild Antakya. Besides, those who leave come back to the city. We don't want to live anywhere else. They say we want Antakya back.”

Stating that she did not work to devote more time to the education of her daughters before the earthquake, Sevda is currently working on the project of the Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants (ASAM).  While she continues to work voluntarily to help people in the earthquake area, she considers the process of starting a job as a turning point in her life.

“I would like to thank everyone who made efforts for the earthquake victims here. The support they gave us was very important. I would also like to thank ASAM for helping the people who have been here since the first day of the earthquake. They motivated me to start over by providing employment. Now I am working on a project at ASAM. This is my first work experience. I started volunteering and then started working. I am working for the first time in my life. Working gave me hope. I really needed this to make my children's education and life more manageable. Of course, it does not make us forget what happened, but it helps us to heal.

Being doing something for Antakya, working with an association that does humanitarian aid here makes me feel good and get stronger. Thank you to everyone who supported us here.

(Note: The real name of the beneficiary has been changed.)