More than 8,500 requests submitted by orphaned children and young people in Hatay, southern Türkiye, have been fulfilled through a digital platform established under the “Light in Our Hearts Project,” an initiative launched in the aftermath of the Feb. 6, 2023 earthquakes.
The project, led by Hatay Governor Mustafa Masatlı, aims to support children and young people who lost one or both parents in the earthquakes by providing sustained social, psychological and financial assistance to help them rebuild their lives.
Within the scope of the project, 8,500 children and young people, most of whom experienced parental loss during the disaster, are being monitored on a regular basis through structured support mechanisms. Governor Masatlı, along with 26 district governors, has been appointed as guardians to ensure direct public oversight and continuity of care.
To enable children to communicate their needs more effectively, the digital platform of the project was launched on Aug. 1, 2025. Through personalized login credentials, children can submit requests covering a broad range of needs, including health care services, education support, financial assistance and counseling.
Requests submitted through the platform are coordinated and fulfilled by the Provincial Directorate of the Ministry of Family and Social Services, ensuring that assistance is delivered in line with verified needs and institutional procedures.
The platform also serves as a bridge between beneficiaries and supporters, allowing non-governmental organizations and individual donors to track specific needs and contribute directly to meeting them.
Since becoming operational, the platform has facilitated the fulfillment of more than 8,500 requests, ranging from school supplies and clothing to essential living needs and social support services.
Governor Masatlı said Hatay’s post-earthquake recovery process extends beyond physical reconstruction to include social and humanitarian rehabilitation.
He described the approach as part of the “Disaster-Era Hatay Model,” which aims to address the sociological and communal impacts of disasters alongside physical damage.
“The most sensitive and conscientious pillar of this model is the Light in Our Hearts Project, which focuses on children who have experienced parental loss,” Masatlı said.
Masatlı noted that the project was implemented in line with the Volunteer Ambassadors Project, carried out under the patronage of first lady Emine Erdoğan, and was designed specifically to meet Hatay’s post-disaster needs.
He emphasized that the digital platform operates under public guidance and supervision, ensuring transparency, accountability and sustainability.
“The platform offers a digitally robust, measurable and reportable social support model that is the first and only of its kind in Türkiye for children who have lost their parents,” Masatlı said, adding that the initiative goes beyond traditional aid practices by institutionalizing social support under public assurance.
