On October 23, 2011, Turkey's eastern province Van was hit by a devastating earthquake. Responding quickly to this emergency, Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF) created the Van Earthquake Relief Fund on the same day, promising that 100% of your tax-deductible contributions to this Fund will be transferred to organizations that directly help victims of the October 23 disaster. Thanks to your generosity we have been able to support 12 projects. But there is still need.
This October will mark the 1 year anniversary of the earthquake and Van is still in its rebuilding stage. Speedy relief response was essential, but now the city needs help reconstructing itself. Be it hospitals, grocery stores or schools, the city has a long way to go. Immediate aid is being requested by students like Semra. Semra is a student at Van Yuzuncu Yil University. After last year's earthquake demolished all the buildings of the university, she has nowhere to live while studying.
The students are in need of dorms. A dormitory building for 192 students is already in the making. This is going to be two story structure based on a steel framed panel system, which can be dismantled and rebuilt for future flexibility of deployment with 48 rooms each accommodating 4 students with bathroom and toilet. The exterior wall panels and the roof coverings have been installed, but more funds are needed to finish the building.
Major disasters always require a huge amount of support to provide relief and long term recovery efforts. The initial funds helped survivors and victims get necessary assistance such as food, medicine and tents. Our fund has transitioned to support longer term recovery efforts through our grantee partners such as the rebuilding of the city's university.
