Following the deadly Feb. 6 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, southern Türkiye, 629 students who studied at the Turkish Red Crescent's (Kızılay) 100th Year Libraries, an initiative inspired by a young girl named Hümeyra, who had to study under an electric pole in a container city in Malatya during the cold winter, have now entered universities.
Through its education support programs, Kızılay has reached over 117,000 students this year, ensuring that children in earthquake-affected regions could begin the new academic year without disruption. In six provinces – Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Adıyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Gaziantep –primary, secondary and high school students received support for their stationery needs. School starter kits, including notebooks, pencil sets, math tools and coloring pencils, were distributed to 7,107 students in total.
The scholarship program this year prioritized earthquake-affected youth. Among them, the 629 students who studied at the 100th Year Libraries, established with inspiration from Hümeyra, who had to study under an electric pole in a Malatya container city, successfully gained admission to universities.
Of these students, 201 entered medical schools, 85 enrolled in engineering programs, and more than 100 were admitted to law faculties. These students will continue their education at Türkiye’s respected universities with the support of Kızılay scholarships.
Deputy President of Kızılay, Ramazan Saygılı, highlighted that 629 students inspired by this initiative have entered prestigious universities in Türkiye. Emphasizing that the organization will continue supporting these students throughout their education, Saygılı said, “As Kızılay, we have never withdrawn our support from earthquake regions. We established libraries in these areas. In the six provinces most affected by the earthquakes, we have 14 libraries."
"This project has a story that began with seeing our young girl Hümeyra in Malatya, living in a container city and having to study under the light of an electric pole during the cold winter. With five siblings, a grandfather and a grandmother at home, she used the electric pole light to study. Seeing her inspired us to create a solution, which led to the idea of library projects," he added.
He continued: "Through the libraries born from Hümeyra’s story, 629 students from earthquake-affected areas have now entered university. Among them are 201 heading to medical schools, 85 to engineering programs, and more than 100 to law faculties. But that is not enough. We will continue supporting these 629 students throughout their education with scholarships funded by donations from the business community. These children held on to life with the help of the Red Crescent, and they should continue on their paths with that support. We come from a culture that knows that kindness is contagious.”
Saygılı also noted that, although textbooks are provided by the state, stationery support was offered to primary, secondary and high school students. He invited the business community and philanthropists to contribute to education for the sake of tomorrow’s future.
