Türkiye

Mobilising emergency response in Southern Türkiye following the earthquake

The devastating Türkiye-Syria earthquake struck as 18M people slept early on Mon 6^th Feb. The earthquake took 46,000 lives, and 1.9M people in Southern Türkiye were left homeless after significant damage to 192K buildings. 

Priority needs include shelter, medical supplies, water, sanitation, food, cash, and psychosocial support.

GOAL already had a significant presence across Southern Türkiye with 250 staff, so it was able to respond immediately to this tragic crisis.

The GOAL team began distributing emergency aid to 20,000 individuals, including essential non-food items (NFIs) such as blankets, kitchen sets, and solar lamps, as well as hygiene, dignity, and newborn kits. 

Ten days after the earthquake, Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs sent 100 tonnes of aid via two airlifts to Adana in Southern Türkiye, and the GOAL Team was ready to receive. As part of this generous consignment, GOALies were able to distribute 340 tents to 1,700 people in Hatay province and the distribution continues. 

660 households were supported with hygiene kits and 50,000 people were targeted with rent assistance after the earthquakes.

Improved psycho-social support for refugees

Closely linked to our work in Emergency Response, GOAL has addressed gaps in health service delivery for Syrian refugees in southern Turkey.

GOAL also focuses on the protection of vulnerable individuals, in 2023, we reached over 50,000 people with Protection programmes. This includes the provision of psycho-social support to refugee households to help them build coping strategies in the face of protracted displacement. We also help children relieve their stress by identifying and expressing their emotions, as well as creating stories with successful conclusions. This support extends to their caregivers, with GOAL helping families to identify the symptoms of stress and share coping strategies to manage it.

Following the earthquake, the GOAL Team has been providing individual protection assistance to those at significant risk, especially already vulnerable adults, children, and the LGBTI+ community. Part of these efforts include the provision of an Emergency Information and Assistance Hotline, which offers particular support to women at risk of gender-based violence. 

Financial resilience during a protracted crisis

GOAL Türkiye is looking to increase its programmatic response by focusing on poverty reduction and resilience. This will see GOAL support the creation of market-driven livelihood opportunities for vulnerable households by offering skills development, financial support, and market support. In 2023, GOAL supported over 2,000 individuals with Livelihoods Programmes.

Within this, GOAL is looking to increase access to employment opportunities, entrepreneurship and vocational training (through accredited courses). The team will also work to facilitate language and life-skills training, as well as provide mentorship, employability support (CV and application assistance) and guided business registration. This will help displaced populations access the opportunities they need to build financial resilience during, and beyond, this protracted humanitarian crisis.

Protection and Safeguarding

Following the earthquake, GOAL activated an Emergency Information and Assistance Hotline in Southern Türkiye, and hundreds of requests for shelter and food came in.

The GOAL team has also been providing individual protection assistance to those at significant risk, especially already vulnerable adults, children, and the LGBTI+ community.