Türkiye

The earthquake of 6 February 2023 in Türkiye and Syria caused enormous destruction in terms of lives and property. In Türkiye alone, 50 thousand people died under the over 230,000 collapsed buildings, 3 million were made homeless and the livelihoods of some 9 million people were severely affected. A year after the catastrophe, the situation calls for continuous assistance, as hundreds of thousands continue to live in camps and informal housing that provide almost no protection against extreme weather conditions. In these settlements, the lack of privacy and population density only exacerbate existing mental & physical hygiene challenges caused by the earthquake. While the world seems to have forgotten the plight of these people, Hungarian Interchurch Aid’s ACT Alliance-supported response aims to strengthen the resilience and preserve the dignity of those who have lost their loved ones, their homes and their livelihoods.

How we help in Türkiye

Emergency aid

Personal hygiene

After the earthquake, formal and informal encampments started popping up everywhere in the regions affected. These often lacked even the most basic forms of sanitation. One year after the disaster, access to potable water still remains one of the most urgent needs of residents. To support them, Hungarian Interchurch Aid set up a water purification system and 9 sanitation containers in 2 camps of Iskenderun. The showers and toilets serve 5,000 people daily. Furthermore, in a Kırıkhan camp HIA also installed a laundry room with washing machines and dryers. Through establishing spaces serving the personal hygiene of camp residents, HIA aims to support the dignity and emotional recovery as well as foster the resilience and morale of the earthquake survivors.

Mental hygiene

While the reconstruction of the settlements is ongoing, the psychological recovery of the people affected by the earthquake is needed more than ever. Trauma from the earthquake, the loss of loved ones, the feeling of guilt for the continuation of life is further exacerbated by difficult living conditions. A year after the disaster, most of those who have lost their homes are still living in overcrowded camps, resulting in no privacy for the often large families residing in a single container. Children are especially affected by these circumstances, many had to take the role of breadwinners of their family. To restore and preserve their mental hygiene and cope with the challenges they face, Hungarian Interchurch Aid’s psychologists hold individual and group consultations as well as activities for the children in a Kırıkhan camp.

Winterization

With hundreds of thousands living in containers and tents, winterization remains one of the major needs in the disaster-affected regions of Türkiye. Neither tents, nor containers are insulated enough to keep the warmth in these living spaces that will house the majority of camp residents for years to come. Looking for ways to provide efficient solutions to foster the resilience of the displaced people, Hungarian Interchurch Aid distributed warm clothing for adults and children as well as rugs, blankets and insulation mats. Apart from distributions, HIA installed tumble dryers to enable camp residents to dry their clothes even in cold and wet weather conditions. Increasing the comfort of the sanitation containers for the winter months, HIA also set up a solar-powered system to provide warm water for the showers.