Groups of volunteers, academics, and students from several cities across Türkiye showcased their support for earthquake survivors through initiatives to produce dozens of ''portable disaster houses,'' as well as hosting people from the southeast in summer homes in some towns.
A volunteer group comprised of professionals such as architects, carpenters and blacksmiths from Istanbul's Büyükçekmece district on Tuesday shared its plans to dispatch 100 "portable disaster homes" to quake victims as part of an ongoing project in Tüyap Fair and Congress Center in coordination with the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
The owner of a company that manufactures mobile homes called "Tiny Houses" is planning to build mobile homes for earthquake victims, adding they are looking forward to completing the construction of 100 houses and dispatching them to the affected areas within a month.
A group of volunteer architects and workers, who gathered for the accomplishment of this project, started building portable disaster houses sized 20 square meters (215.27 square feet) to accommodate earthquake victims. Several carpenters and welding workers also joined the group at the production center.
The owner of the firm, Zülal Çakıcı told Anadolu Agency (AA) that on the day of the earthquake, the question of ''What can I do?'' emerged as everyone was eager to help the quake victims. "These people are left with nothing. I thought I could send a 'Tiny House' to these people. I shared my idea with my architect friends, and 30 to 40 of my friends joined me in the mission.''
Meanwhile, Rabia Yetkin Karabulut, who supported the campaign and managed the teams, explained: "We are trying to make people feel a little warm in their homes again. Our construction site was established and we needed volunteer teams. We embarked upon the work solely with the support of donations. Many houses are in the completion stage. We're accelerating our mission."
Idris Ayaz, a blacksmith who also joined the project, shared that he reached the location as soon as he heard about the work and said that he and his teammates worked voluntarily. Similarly, welding master Batuhan Gündu left his job and came to the construction site voluntarily, stating that people have been working there at night for days.
A group of volunteers, assembled in the northeastern Turkish province of Gümüşhane, to produce wooden houses for the earthquake-affected zone.
With help from nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and several philanthropists, the houses produced in the wooden furniture workshop of Gümüşhane University, and the wood workshop at Bağlarbaşı Industrial Site, are set to be dispatched to quake zones once completed.
Serkan Eryılmaz, a lecturer in Radio, Television and Cinema Department told reporters that they designed a project in cooperation with Woodpecker Wood Workshop, and explained the wooden houses they built were 3x3 meters in size.
Eryılmaz shared that the work continues in full swing with the support of volunteers."We held our meetings with AFAD. We will take the houses to a place determined by AFAD in the earthquake-affected zone, set them up and leave them for the victims there.''
Highlighting that they have completed 14 wooden houses so far, Eryılmaz shared that they plan to build 20 houses in total. "We are working until night. We are planning to complete 20 until Thursday. We will inform AFAD when we finish the project. AFAD said it will help us with trucks for the transportation of materials and will determine a location for delivery," Eryılmaz noted.
At the same time, industrialists in Çerkezköy district of Tekirdağ also expressed solidarity with the victims, sending aid trucks to the earthquake-affected zone.
On the other hand, Çerkezköy Organized Industrial Zone (COSB) management decided to create a living space of 150 containers, with the coordination of AFAD, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
Eyüp Sözdinler, chairperson of the board of the COSB said in a statement that the earthquake wounds will be healed with unity and solidarity.
"In addition to the residential containers, we are also working for the employment of our citizens coming from the earthquake-affected region. Our industrialists will do their best for the employment of our citizens who were affected by the earthquake," Sözdinler said.
In the same town of northwestern Türkiye, doors of summer houses were opened for the earthquake victims.
The mayor of Marmaraereğlisi municipality, Hikmet Ata said: "After the earthquake, we conveyed our request to the summer house owners to host earthquake victims. Thanks to the people who are very understanding, most of them agreed to open the summer houses to help the earthquake survivors.''
One of the earthquake victims, Mehmet Özbay shared that he came to Tekirdağ's summerhouse with his family of seven people after the catastrophe devastated their abode.
