After the earthquakes that started on Monday, February 6, 2023, which caused significant damage in 11 provinces in Türkiye, the Woman in Technology Association and Life Without Cancer Foundation (Kansersiz Yaşam Derneği) has taken action like so many other organizations to provide post-disaster relief materials to Hatay under the motto “We are Strong Together.” Having stayed in Hatay for a week, our team set up 150 tents and met the basic needs of 300 families and 2,000 people.
As part of aid activities organized in collaboration with the Life Without Cancer Foundation, we sent four trucks to Hatay on Saturday, February 18, and Tuesday, February 22, to distribute basic needs in the disaster area. Before sending the trucks, we identified the needs through verified representatives, following the announcements from public authorities. After coordinating the financial and material donations in İstanbul; a team of 16 individuals, including our Founding President Zehra Öney, set out to take the essential needs to Hatay. Consequently, we met the basic needs of 300 families and about 2,000 people during our 7-day stay in Hatay.
Elaborating on the fundraising for the disaster relief, Öney said: “The donations we were able to collect as the Woman in Technology Association and Life Without Cancer Foundation were limited. We initially could not collect as many donations as we wanted due to our membership system, which is B2B. Also, each of our valuable members were on the field with great support and assistance. Institutions such as AFAD and AHBAP were the main recipients of a large part of the global aid. Thus, I contacted the Bridge to Türkiye Fund, which I have been in close contact with for four years, and asked them to donate based on our mutual trust. Also, dear Mehmet Bayraktar, a very close friend of mine, agreed to donate so we could afford tents for the families, which is still the most important item. Thus, we received an ideal amount of donations and could complete all our procurement processes to go to Hatay with our hands full.”
The Woman in Technology Association team continued its activities in Hatay under the leadership of our Founding President, Zehra Öney. Founder and Advisory Board Member of the Association Barış Öney, Advisory Board Member İbrahim Coşkuner, and the member of our association, businessperson Halil Öztürk accompanied the team.
Based on our strategy, we created a fully equipped package suitable to meet the basic needs of our citizens affected by the earthquake. The package included everything the families might need, such as tents, heating stoves, hygiene materials, beds, blankets, quilts, food, portable toilets, clothes, and underwear. Talking about the psychological and emotional support provided by the Woman in Technology Association, Zehra Öney said, “We did not only provide a fully equipped package to meet all the needs of families in Hatay at once, but also went to villages and places that are difficult to access, had conversations with our citizens affected by the earthquake over tea and milk, held their hands, and listened to their problems. We gave the children educational toys and played games with them to help mitigate the consequences of the traumatic events they had been through.” Öney added to her statement: “After learning about the field the first day and the consequences of the earthquakes, our team started working in a more motivated manner.” Despite the anxiety caused by the Defne-centered earthquake and several aftershocks, the team stayed in Hatay to keep supporting the residents, whose houses were destroyed, and made them feel like they were not alone.
Elaborating on the needs, Öney said: “The need for shelter in the disaster area continues. Considering the damage caused by the earthquake and the geographical area in which it took place, the aid must continue sustainably, extending over the next two years. Providing education will be quite important soon as the needs change in the disaster area. It is vital to support women, youth, and children with education and to provide scholarships to improve their lives. As the Woman in Technology Association, we will continue to provide sustainable support to the area with great motivation and devotion.”
