Authorities provide care as cold snap puts homeless at risk
by Daily Sabah with AA
ISTANBULJan 10, 2017 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Daily Sabah with AA
Jan 10, 2017 12:00 am
On its fourth day, the heavy snowfall showed little sign of slowing down as Istanbul and many other major cities all across Turkey suffered from the biting cold.
The cold snap could hit Istanbul's homeless the hardest, but, the municipal authorities there have taken up schemes to take care of them. Many were brought to sports complexes and other temporary accommodation facilities. Around 900 homeless people were currently being housed at Istanbul's Zeytinburnu Sports Center, which is used as a shelter for homeless people every year during the winter months.
Hüseyin Seyrek, a homeless Istanbulite who had to leave his house as he was unable to pay the rent, said the center fulfills all their basic needs and serves meals three times a day.
Besides Turkish locals, the shelter also welcomed foreign residents from countries like Georgia, Ghana and Afghanistan. Portable beds were placed on the complex's basketball court. Meanwhile, a special shelter for homeless women has also been set up on the Anatolian side of Istanbul.
In the Turkish capital, Ankara, the governorate has organized for housing the city's homeless at a special accommodation center. Around 90 people were residing at the center where they received continuous help and also a job through the Turkish employment agency. At the center, they were provided personal care products, clothing and physical or psychological treatment, if necessary.
"My two friends passed away a while ago after they were frozen outside. The municipal staff found me and took me here. I am quite happy now as I have somewhere warm to stay and can find food," said, Hüseyin Kapucu, a homeless man from Ankara.
Based on the official figures, cities like Istanbul, Ankara and Bursa have the highest number of homeless people. Locals were also helping them out in the frigid temperatures. Volunteer groups like "Aşhane," or public kitchen, and a group of students and lecturers from Sakarya University offered free soup to the homeless and Syrian refugees. In other Turkish cities, locals continue to distribute food and warm clothing to those in need through different campaigns.
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