‘Our home is yours’: Turkey families take in earthquake survivors

Hundreds of households in Turkey open their properties to host survivors of the earthquake, offering them with the whole lot they want.

Melih Telci (L) together with his mom and the household he's internet hosting of their dwelling in Yalova [Melih Telci/Al Jazeera]

When Melih Telci, a 28-year-old lawyer from Istanbul, heard a few household of 4 left homeless within the province of Hatay after final week’s devastating earthquakes, he knew what he needed to do. He picked up his cellphone.

“I referred to as them and mentioned; ‘Come, our house is yours,’” he mentioned.

Telci met the household after they travelled to Istanbul, after which drove them to certainly one of his household’s summer time properties in Yalova, an japanese coastal metropolis alongside the Sea of Marmara. “We set them up with the whole lot – furnishings, garments and meals. Now, I’m engaged on discovering the daddy a job,” Telci advised Al Jazeera.

Telci’s household has two extra summer time properties in Yalova the place they hope to welcome extra households over the following few days.

They're amongst Turkish households throughout the county who're connecting with quake-stricken survivors via phrase of mouth, social media and the assistance of native authorities, after which giving shelter to the earthquake victims.

Ayse Arslan and her father within the backyard of their household dwelling in Armagan village in Trabzon, Turkey [Ayse Arslan/Al Jazeera]

‘I had to assist’

Amongst those that have stepped ahead are the individuals of Armagan village within the Black Sea province of Trabzon.

Positioned greater than 500km (310 miles) north of the location of the lethal quakes which have left greater than 41,000 individuals lifeless in Turkey and Syria, this small village of only some hundred individuals is now internet hosting a number of households from Malatya – one of many 10 worst-hit southern Turkish provinces.

“When the earthquake hit, I knew I had to assist,” mentioned Ayse Arslan, a 51-year-old housewife from Armagan, at present residing in Germany.

Arslan instantly launched a marketing campaign amongst her household and pals to boost funds for meals, clothes and emergency provides for the survivors.

When she heard about her father’s pals – Nafiye and Mevlut Ozdemir in Malatya, who have been stranded in subzero temperatures after their dwelling was destroyed – she knew she needed to do extra.

“They have been in determined situation. I hadn’t a lot cash, however I had a flat and that’s what I supplied,” Arslan advised Al Jazeera, explaining that she welcomed them into her empty residence in Armagan.

“I imagined being of their sneakers – dropping the whole lot. I’d want shelter to really feel protected and dignified,” mentioned Arslan, explaining that she inspired her siblings and cousins to do the identical.

“If we’ve a single loaf of bread, we should share it,” mentioned Arslan, who purchased the couple bus tickets to Trabzon.

Nafiye and Mevlut Ozdemir misplaced their dwelling in Malatya as a result of earthquake [Nafiye Ozdemir/Al Jazeera]

‘Opened her complete coronary heart’

By the point the couple made it to Arslan’s place, that they had skilled all types of hell.

“I don’t even wish to keep in mind these moments. I screamed until I misplaced my voice,” mentioned Nafiye Ozdemir as she recounted the horrifying expertise of the earthquake.

“Initially, we didn’t wish to settle for Ayse’s provide, however we actually had no different choice,” mentioned the 54-year-old housewife. She detailed how she spent the primary evening sleeping within the snow with out sneakers or heat garments.

The following three days, the couple – Mevlut is a most cancers affected person receiving chemotherapy – spent their nights at a hospital, then a college hall and eventually, holed up in a cave within the mountains.

“I'm so grateful. Ayse not solely opened her dwelling to us, however her complete coronary heart,” mentioned Ozdemir.

Arslan and her group in Armagan have since taken in 21 survivors from Malatya, together with two households with six younger kids now staying in two of her cousins’ flats.

With the assistance of household and pals in Germany, Arslan has to date fundraised greater than 90,000 Turkish lire ($4,700) to help the households, securing the whole lot from clothes to meals and drugs.

“I need them to be reassured that what’s ours is theirs for so long as they dwell,” mentioned Arslan, referring to the Ozdemir couple.

Rumeysa Otoman’s father, Ahmet Arkin (L) together with his brother Sebhattin Arkin (R) who survived the earthquake in Hatay and got here to stick with them in Bursa [Credit Rumeysa Otoman/Al Jazeera]

‘Our obligation’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised a sum of 10,000 lire ($530) for every affected family and promised to rebuild the destroyed properties inside a yr.

Within the meantime, the Turkish authorities is housing survivors in college dormitories, lodges, and eating places, in addition to organising tents as non permanent lodging.

However with an awesome want for pressing shelter for greater than two million displaced individuals, in accordance with the presidency’s estimates, dozens of volunteer teams have popped up throughout the nation to coordinate efforts to deal with the survivors.

Like many, Rumeysa Otoman, a 35-year-old Turkish lady residing in Bursa, in northwest Turkey, believes the federal government can't shoulder the brunt of this catastrophe alone.

“The state’s doing what it will probably. It’s our obligation to step in and do the identical,” Otoman advised Al Jazeera.

She is initially from Hatay, one of many worst-hit provinces in southern Turkey, the place 17 members of her prolonged household have been killed within the earthquakes. Many extra stay unaccounted for as rescue staff proceed to dig via the rubble of hundreds of destroyed properties.

To do her half, Otoman banded collectively together with her household and pals and booked tickets for as many survivors in Hatay as she might host again in Bursa.

Greater than every week after the quakes, Otoman’s household is now internet hosting 60 survivors in Bursa and is working to convey extra.

“They’ve misplaced the whole lot in a blink of a watch,” mentioned Otoman. “We’re one, and we’re right here for them.”