tr
06 February 2024
TOG Establishes 10 Support Centers in 5 Cities on the 1st Anniversary of the Disaster
TOG Documentary "06.02 Hope" Tells the Stories of Beneficiaries in Disaster Areas!
The Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı (TOG) held the screening of the documentary "06.02 Hope" at Kanyon Paribu Cineverse the other day, together with its supporters, in memory of the first anniversary of the disaster.
Established in 2002, the Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı (TOG) continues to provide social benefits through the Support Centers in the region on the first anniversary of the earthquake that occurred on February 6th. The Support Centers operating in container cities in Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, Gaziantep, and Malatya cater to individuals of all ages, primarily children and youth. The aim is to alleviate the negative effects of the earthquake and support the healing process. The documentary "06.02 Hope," which tells the stories of beneficiaries, has been released on TOG's YouTube channel.
Beneficiaries of all ages benefit from the Support Centers. In the four Women's Support Centers in Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, and Malatya, various sessions such as violence and gender, family and law, psychosocial support, human rights education, healthy parenting, hobby workshops, health, and awareness workshops are held.
Additionally, six Support Centers, including one mobile unit, in Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, and Gaziantep, are equipped with computer rooms, libraries, study areas, and workshop rooms. Various workshops are conducted for children, such as science, experiments, coding, and art, as well as sessions on peer bullying, recognizing emotions, and coping with emotions.
While young people use the centers as study areas, they also participate in workshops on various topics such as violence and gender, communication, hygiene, privacy, and the environment. They also receive training in music instruments, photography, and art.
More than 40,000 people have benefited from the Support Centers to date, with a goal to reach 200,000 people within 2 years. The Support Centers will continue to operate in solidarity.
Ayşe Kırımlı, the General Manager of TOG, stated: "After the earthquake that deeply shook us on February 6th, the Young Volunteers of TOG took action from all corners of Turkey and took responsibility in the aid depots for six months. The magnitude and destructive nature of the disaster showed that solidarity needs to continue for many years. Therefore, with the contributions of our stakeholders, we launched our Support Center project for sustainable solidarity. We have opened a total of 10 Support Centers in the 5 cities most affected by the disaster, including one mobile unit, where everyone, especially children and youth, can benefit. We are working to heal the wounds of the earthquake, reduce its negative effects, and support the recovery and rehabilitation process. Young people in different cities also carry out social responsibility projects here. After fulfilling their missions, the Support Centers will be re-evaluated as TOG Youth Centers, open to young people, children, and women. Since February 6th, we have always said, 'When you feel hopeless, remember solidarity,' emphasizing that solidarity needs to continue for many years. Now, together, we aim to amplify hope through solidarity."
"06.02 Hope" Documentary Portrays Life in the Container City!
TOG also produced a documentary depicting the past year in the disaster area. The documentary, shot with individuals living in the container city and benefiting from the Support Centers, features music by Esin Aydıngöz, a Grammy 2024 Nominee known for her work on Netflix's popular series Wednesday. The documentary, which also includes songs by Cem Adrian and Selin Sümbültepe, was released on Thursday, February 1st, at 20:30 on the Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı YouTube Channel.
Supporting Education with the Disaster Scholarship Fund
TOG, which has supported more than 10,000 young people with over 100 scholarship funds to date, aims to contribute to the future dreams of university students affected by the disaster with the Disaster Scholarship Fund established after the earthquake. According to the data of the Turkish Higher Education Council for the 2022-2023 academic year, there are 676,000 university students affected by the earthquake. TOG is currently supporting the education of nearly 1,000 young people affected by the disaster through its collaborations."