TÜRKONFED, which has more than 60 thousand companies from 30 federations and more than 300 associations under its umbrella, took action to meet the urgent needs of the region and heal the wounds from the first moment of the earthquake disaster that affected 10 provinces. Saying that its members and stakeholders from all over Turkey deliver aid to the region according to the information obtained from the federations and associations in the region, as well as from the relevant institutions and organizations and that they coordinate these aids as TÜRKONFED; Süleyman Sönmez, President of TÜRKONFED, emphasized that legal processes should be reconstructed with enabling steps for institutions and organizations that work and produce solutions in a disaster of this magnitude that no country in the world can handle alone.
TÜRKONFED Members Deliver Aid To Earthquake Zones From All Over Türkiye
Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation (TÜRKONFED) took action to meet the urgent needs of both the search and rescue teams and the people of the region from the first moment of the earthquake disaster, the epicenter of which was Kahramanmaraş and affecting 10 cities. Within the scope of the work carried out by the TÜRKONFED Earthquake Crisis and Coordination Center, in the first place, businesspeople from all over Turkey paid attention to the call of TÜRKONFED, which started an aid mobilization for needs, in line with the information obtained from the 5 federations and 44 associations in the region and deliver the needs to the earthquake zone.
In-kind and cash aids are delivered to the region
A total of 241 trucks of consumption and clothing materials, cooked food, fuel, 391 shelter containers, more than 1,000 tents, 4 soup kitchens, 3 mobile kitchens that can serve more than 5 thousand people, more than 1,000 lunch boxes, nearly 100 portable toilets and bathrooms, more than 15 thousand beds, 96 heavy equipment, 245 trucks, 48 generators, nearly 1,000 heaters, more than 30 thousand blankets, which could have been identified, were delivered in the earthquake zone by TÜRKONFED members so far. Some members providing accommodation services opened their hotels for earthquake victims. While the transportation and logistics needs of the international search and rescue teams were met in the earthquake area, cash aids made through AFAD were sent to the disaster area through the TÜRKONFED member network.
Süleyman Sönmez: “We need an approach that opens up space for inclusive and participatory collaborations”
Emphasizing that they have undertaken the task of coordination, which is crucial role in this disaster that no country in the world can cope with alone, Süleyman Sönmez, President of TÜRKONFED, said “As TÜRKONFED, which has a member even in the most remote corner of Turkey, we have started working to ensure coordination from the first moment of the earthquake disaster. In this context, we cooperate with more than 60 thousand members from 30 federations and 300 associations, our stakeholders such as TÜSİAD, SEDEFED, Business for Goals, KAGİDER, Habitat and GEN Türkiye, with organizations such as the Disaster Platform, which includes AHBAP and Needs Map, as well as AFAD. We brought together international organizations such as CBi Türkiye Platform and UNDP on common ground. Because we know very well that we can overcome the trauma of this disaster by enacting our strength and solution abilities. Currently, we need organizations that accelerate the process and act quickly and flexibly with coordination and human resource skills. For this reason, legal processes should be reconstructed with enabling steps for institutions and organizations working on this issue and producing solutions, including TÜRKONFED. In such a tough time, an approach that opens space for inclusive and participatory cooperation is the strongest component of the welfare state.”