On the second anniversary of the February 6 Earthquakes, the recovery process in the affected regions continues through solidarity. While significant progress has been made across the 11 provinces impacted in southern Türkiye, urgent needs persist in many areas, including shelter, education, economic recovery, and psychosocial support. Support to Life remains active in the field, contributing to the empowerment of communities.
Current Situation in the Region
The earthquakes caused widespread devastation, particularly in Hatay, Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş, and Malatya. More than 650,000 buildings were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable, displacing over 3 million people. Today, more than 400,000 individuals continue to live in container settlements, while many families still struggle to access safe and permanent housing. Ongoing challenges in the provision of basic services such as infrastructure, water, and electricity continue to negatively impact the daily lives of disaster-affected communities.
Despite important steps taken toward economic recovery, the region still faces major challenges. The earthquakes disrupted the livelihoods of approximately 658,000 workers and left more than 220,000 businesses inoperable. The reduced workforce has delayed the revival of production and trade, while rural areas require further support mechanisms to restore agricultural and livestock activities. Increasing employment opportunities and accelerating regional development remain crucial priorities.
Psychosocial support plays a critical role in the recovery of communities. Sustainable psychosocial support programs are still vital, especially for children, women, and the elderly, to help them overcome the trauma caused by the disaster.
Support to Life’s Response
Since the aftermath of the disaster, Support to Life has been actively working in the field to address urgent humanitarian needs. Key activities carried out in the earthquake-affected areas include:
- Shelter and Living Conditions: Efforts have been made to improve living conditions in container settlements, particularly by addressing hygiene needs. One-time cash assistance was provided to families to meet their winter needs and support the repair of damaged homes.
- Livelihood Support: Vocational training programs were implemented to promote employment. To revitalize the local economy, affected individuals received skill-building support, and financial assistance was provided to employers. Women’s participation in the workforce was encouraged through capacity-building training for women's cooperatives and social procurement initiatives.
- Psychosocial Support: Psychosocial support services were offered to strengthen the well-being of individuals affected by the earthquake. Both individual psychological support and group support services were provided for children and adults.
- Education: Learning materials were distributed to ensure children's continued access to education, and mentorship services were provided to support their academic success.
- Localy-Led Strengthening: Local initiatives and communities in the region were supported through micro-grants and training programs. Additionally, networks were established to enhance coordination and collaboration between local civil society organizations, public institutions, and the private sector. These efforts have contributed to the empowerment of local stakeholders and the long-term, sustainable recovery of the region.
Next Steps
The February 6 earthquakes have reinforced the importance of solidarity and the critical role of civil society in disaster preparedness and response. Support to Life remains committed to developing sustainable solutions that empower communities in the disaster-affected region. Moving forward, in addition to ongoing activities, the organization aims to further support economic recovery by addressing workforce losses through employment projects, vocational training programs, and financial assistance packages.
Solidarity heals. Let's continue standing together for recovery.
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