Expatriates on the Ground for Earthquake Victims in Turkey

Following the devastating earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, the Help Yetim Humanitarian Aid Organization, established by volunteer expatriates in Europe, has been tirelessly working day and night in the region to provide search and rescue and humanitarian assistance.

After two major earthquakes struck Kahramanmaraş’s Pazarcık and Elbistan districts on the same day, Help Yetim, which operates in Europe, sent numerous volunteer teams to Turkey for emergency aid. For the past nine days, these teams have been fighting to rescue earthquake victims from the rubble while coordinating aid sent by expatriates with governorships and disaster crisis centers, reaching victims in Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep, Mersin, Şanlıurfa, and Diyarbakır.

Cahit Ataş, President of Help Yetim, stated that since the day of the disaster, they have been distributing aid to earthquake victims in various areas in Turkey. He explained, “As soon as the earthquake struck, our first team set out in response to the call from our volunteers in Turkey. We focused on search and rescue efforts for the first three days. Due to the immense need for assistance in an area affected so widely, we quickly created aid plans with our volunteer teams based on the urgent needs of each city. Now, with the support of teams coming from different regions in Europe, we are working to establish a tent city with 500 tents.”

"Turkey is Our Homeland, and We Came to Repay Our Debt"

Ataş explained that they woke up to emergency aid requests from volunteers in Turkey, quickly setting out to reach Turkey. “We have been in the field for a week, working together with aid organizations in Turkey. We are trying to serve in the areas designated by the governorships and disaster crisis centers. Turkey is our homeland, and we came here to repay our debt. We came to serve our people. Today is a day of unity. We have planned a three-month aid operation for the earthquake zone. Our teams have played a significant role in rescuing many injured from the debris, most recently assisting in the rescue of a 17-year-old boy in Adıyaman on the 138th hour. We continue to support other areas as well,” he said.

"Today is a Day of Unity, of Embracing Each Other as Brothers"

Speaking to expatriates in Europe, Ataş emphasized, “There is a great need for help in the earthquake region. The area affected is enormous, and although our government is strong, we cannot put the entire burden solely on the state. Today is a day of unity, a day to embrace each other in brotherhood. We must learn from these earthquakes. Our emergency aid call continues. We invite all expatriates to help. Donations will be coordinated with governorships and disaster crisis centers to meet needs appropriately. Now is the time for each person to do what they can, however small.”

The Help Yetim Humanitarian Aid Organization continues its search and rescue and humanitarian aid efforts with 10 vehicles and 130 personnel, including 15 experts from Europe and 115 local volunteers, in five different cities.