Peoples’ Houses is a leftist, socialist organization that has a long history of being a center of arts, culture, and resistance against oppression. They were one of the first non-governmental organizations in the earthquake region immediately after the disaster, together with other socialist groups and parties.
Members of the Peoples’ Houses, Halkevciler, called on those willing to help the children. Those who want to volunteer in the earthquake regions or other provinces can contact the Peoples’ Houses by filling out a form provided by the organization.
Peoples’ Houses members, in their campaign, “We are here for children” gathered with children who migrated from the earthquake zones to other cities. The organization opened centers and care facilities in many regions and cities for children.
Hatay Province
The “We are here for Children” team has been working in the Hatay province since the first day of the earthquake and is carrying out studies in the Aşağıokular, Yeşilpınar and Dursunlu neighborhoods. A program is held with the volunteers who participate, and many activities, from music to drama, from painting to story writing, are carried out with the children.
Maraş
Following the earthquake, work continues on the children’s home opened in Söğütlü Village of Pazarcık district of Maraş with the joint work of Lotus Women’s Association and Halkevleri, Peoples’ Houses. Various activities are carried out with the arrival of volunteers in the children’s house. The facility and care services, inside a tent, are available to all children all day. From chess to music, from story writing to drama, activities are available for the children.
Malatya
The volunteers of We Are Here for Children volunteers, who continue their work in Örnek Village of Yeşilyurt district of Malatya, carry out activities such as dance, painting, sports, drama, and chess with children. With the participation of the famous actor Emre Canpolat, volunteers provide the children with activities that continue for a week.
Ankara
Ankara, the nation’s capital, received a large amount of immigration after the earthquake. Work continues in Dikmen, Batıkent, and Mamak districts. The “We Are Here For Children” team, which brings together hundreds of children, continues to meet with children by providing dozens of different activities. From sports to drama, from music to painting, fairy tale workshops, and inclusion activities, many activities are available for children.
Samsun
The works that started at Samsun, in the north of the country on the Black Sea coast, Kazım Koyuncu Cultural Center provides workshops that children could participate. As in all other provinces, the workshops are open to every child affected by the earthquake. The center organizes the socialization of children and gives priority to the acceleration of adaptation processes. Painting, guitar, piano, entertaining, mathematics, drama, and chess workshops will continue to receive children at Kazım Koyuncu Cultural Center.
Artvin Province
Children and volunteers who come together in Artvin Hopa for many activities ranging from clay workshops, rhythm workshops, handicraft, painting, and coloring. Artvin is at the very northeast f the country in the mountains of the Black Sea. The committed volunteers, who announced that the activities would continue every week, play games with the children, made bracelets in the handicraft workshop, and pottery in the clay workshop.
Istanbul, Kocaeli, Izmir, Antalya
In these large metropolitan centers, the activities and workshops, where children meet with volunteers from “We are Here for Children” campaign, are organized and gathered with the cooperation of mukhtars (neighborhood leaders), teachers, associations, and municipalities in each province and district. In each province where people migrated from the earthquake regions, People’s Houses members communicate with the areas where people live and bring together the children and volunteers. In earthquake regions, mobile teams go to neighborhoods and meet with the children and their families.
Trainings with volunteers
For those volunteers who are overwhelmed or affected by the earthquake, psychological and first aid training is available in these centers as well.
A call to those who say, “I am here for children”
Those who say, “There is something I can do for the children,” are asked to fill out the volunteer form to participate in the province where they are located and in the earthquake zones of Hatay, Maraş, and Malatya.
After the form is filled out, those who have completed their training can meet with the children. In addition, it is possible to contribute financially or with supplies to the list of needs created for children.
MB Sendika.Org News