This website conveys the following message: We are civil society organizations working shoulder to shoulder to heal the wounds of the earthquake we experienced in Elazığ and to build a society prepared for potential disasters, from institutions to individuals. We are united to ensure collaboration that generates social benefit, from public institutions to the private sector.
Correspondence began amongst the board members of TİDER (Basic Needs Association) the night the earthquake struck Elazığ. We began discussing what needed to be done about this disaster. I simply told everyone that the “spirit of an NGO” required immediate action and the swiftest response.
Then I called Nil, the director of the United Nations Volunteer Program, whom I knew was from Elazığ. Nil was too distressed to speak on the phone. We agreed to talk the next morning.
That night, we began fundraising. The next morning, when I sat at my desk at home, I felt a pang of sadness. There was a flood of news about the earthquake, and I was overwhelmed with work, so I found myself in the most irritable position I could find myself in, sitting at my desk. My hands were tied. Why weren’t we on the ground? Then I remembered to call Ali Ercan, one of the founders of Needs Map. The following conversation took place between us:
Serhan: What are you doing, man? Are you planning on going to Elazığ?
Ali Ercan: Yes, man. We actually planned to go to Elazığ for a conference and a three-day event. Nil took the lead. We even bought our tickets for tomorrow (Sunday).
Serhan: I want to come too. There’s so much to do. Maybe we can activate the disaster model we’ve been talking about for a long time and make a difference. We need to ensure that NGOs collaborate in a coordinated manner. Let’s be the catalyst for that. What do you think?
Ali Ercan: That would be great. I know there are other NGOs there too.
Serhan: Okay, man. Then let’s find tickets somehow and come tomorrow. I’ll let you know.
Ali Ercan: It’s a deal. See you in Elazığ…
Collective action begins
Afterwards, I wrote to our TİDER Board of Directors group and announced my departure for Elazığ. I explained that I needed someone from the board and other professionals to accompany me. Thankfully, one of our board members, Burcu agreed. It became clear that Rıdvan, one of the professionals, would also be accompanying me to Elazığ.
Then I informed Nil. Nil, who was anxious to go to Elazığ, immediately said she was coming too. There was only one problem: All the flights to Elazığ were full. It was impossible to find a seat. Even the flights to Malatya, the closest to Elazığ, were booked full.
Thankfully, Burcu intervened, and they had identified two other ways to get to Elazığ: via Diyarbakır and Bitlis. Ultimately, we booked a flight to Diyarbakır. Then Ahmet, the founder of the Çorbada Tuzun Olsun Association, called me. He had heard about it from our Rıdvan.
He tested the waters first. Sensing the natural reflexes of someone with an NGO spirit, I realized he wanted to come too. Without further ado, I said, “You can come with us if you’d like.” He jumped at the chance. “Okay, I’m coming,” he said, adding, “Should we invite the Octopus Volunteers too?” Regarding the Octopus Volunteers, with whom I’d had a long-standing and well-known collaboration, I said, “Of course, they’re welcome to come too.” Then Vedat, the founder of the Octopus Volunteers, called me. We included them in the program.
Solution-oriented, supportive developments
After arranging all this, I left home and went to my first meeting at Zorlu Center. This is my destiny. I can handle a wide variety of topics in succession. I went to my old friend Gökçe. She had asked me for advice on a business matter and had invited me over. Since I had a busy schedule, I planned to stop by for half an hour, help out, and then leave. Gökçe, the owner of a brand like Tiffany in Turkey, has opened a second, very stylish store called Collection Point in Zorlu Center. As I sat and answered questions in this place, which also offered food and drink, I started getting calls about the Elazığ program. Everyone was asking, “So, how do we get from Diyarbakır to Elazığ? Have you managed to arrange a vehicle that can transport all of us?”
There were eight of us in total. After I hung up, I started muttering, “Where can I find an eight-passenger vehicle in Diyarbakır?” Hearing this, Gökçe said, “I can arrange a vehicle in Diyarbakır if you want.” I looked at him with a surprised expression and asked, “Are you serious? Are you kidding me?” He said, “Of course I’m serious. We have close friends there,” and he immediately called someone. I was talking to his wife at the time. He hung up and said, “The vehicle is ready, man.” I couldn’t believe what was happening. I said, “Well done!” Then I texted everyone that the vehicle was ready. Everything was developing in a way that would allow us to get there as quickly as possible.
After chatting with Gökçe and his wife for a pleasant hour, I left and went to my next meeting. My meetings continued throughout the day. Early the next morning, we headed to the airport and took the 7:30 a.m. flight. We landed in Diyarbakır and boarded the vehicle that met us. Before leaving Diyarbakır, at the suggestion of Vedat, the founder of Octopus Volunteers, we stopped at a pastry shop, bought some breakfast items like bagels and pastries, and started eating them on the way. After about a two-hour drive, we arrived in Elazığ. The Ali Ercans, who had arrived in Elazığ before us, invited us to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Elazığ Chamber of Commerce and Industry). Thankfully, the Chamber made their largest meeting room available to us. After about an hour of conversation, President Asilhan Arslan came and met with us.
Assisting One Another for Assistance
You never know what will happen in life. Three or four years ago, we prepared a report on Elazığ’s biogas potential. Back then, we met Asilhan Bey in Elazığ and had a pleasant conversation. They hosted us warmly. We duly prepared and submitted the report. Asilhan Bey now appeared before me as the President of the Elazığ Chamber of Commerce and Industry. We explained to him what we wanted to achieve.
After resolving our initial disagreements, we found common ground, reached an agreement, and he left the room, stating that the Elazığ Chamber of Commerce would provide us with all necessary support. After he left, news arrived, and we were invited to a coordination meeting at the Governor’s Office.
AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency), the Governor’s Office, and the Red Crescent officials, as well as executives from various local and national NGOs and relevant professionals, were also present at this meeting.
Of course, we were also present as the Adım Adım Platform and its affiliated organizations. The Support to Life Association had already been on the ground from day one and had begun conducting a needs assessment. I also encountered Rukiye from Support to Life for the first time at this meeting.
The organizations on our side that attended the disaster coordination meeting were: AÇEV (Mother and Child Education Foundation), Açık Açık Association, Ahbap Association, Octopus Volunteers Association, United Nations Volunteers, Çorbada Tuzun Olsun Association, Support to Life Association, INOGAR, INOGAR ART, Needs Map, KAGİDER, Nef Foundation, Nirengi Association, Sağlam Kobi, Basic Needs Association, and Community Volunteers Foundation.
At the meeting, we introduced ourselves, discussed the many different areas we could help with, and announced that we were organized under the umbrella of the Chamber of Commerce. AFAD and the governor’s office said they would make room for us if we coordinated with them. We mutually agreed, and we left the table.
A photo from the disaster coordination meeting held at the governor’s office.
Afterward, we held a meeting among ourselves at the governor’s office. At this meeting, held in a vacant room on the same floor as Elazığ Governor Çetin Oktay Kaldırım’s office, we established the Civil Society Organizations Disaster Coordination Platform. We established the general framework. To this end, we requested and secured a warehouse from the Elazığ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TSO), and we began working to ensure the most efficient delivery of donated goods to those in need. We then distributed tasks based on each person’s area of expertise, roughly as follows:
Needs Analysis:
AHBAP
Hayata Destek
TİDER
Provisions Procurement:
Octopus Volunteers
Let Your Salt Be in the Soup
Needs Map
NEF Foundation
TİDER
Volunteering:
Açık Açık
AHBAP
Elazığ Municipality Youth Assembly
TOG
UNV
Psychological Rehabilitation:
AÇEV (They provide support)
Adding Salt to the Soup (They provide support)
Fırat University Department of Social Work
Turkish Psychological Association
The picture we took with the Governor as we left the Governor’s Office. You can see representatives of our NGOs here.
Of course, the number of NGOs that share our perspective, like the ones above, is increasing daily. It’s unprecedented to see dozens of NGOs working in such synchronization, none of them striving for prominence, united by a single goal. Ali Ercan and I actually dreamed of this 10-15 years ago. It took years for this atmosphere of camaraderie to form and for everyone to get used to each other. The Adım Adım Platform also made significant contributions here. We united behind a common cause during the Elazığ Earthquake, and everything fell into place.
The photo we took at Sabiha Gökçen Airport upon our return from Elazığ features representatives from Octopus Volunteers, Çorbada Tuzun Olsun, and TİDER. It’s a beautiful image that symbolizes the unity of all NGOs.
Moving forward, our main goal as civil society organizations is to institutionalize the Civil Society Organizations Disaster Coordination Platform and create a faster and more efficient working environment for every disaster we may encounter.
We already have an official website. As I mentioned in the introduction, you can find the following statement on the homepage:
We are civil society organizations standing shoulder to shoulder to heal the wounds of the earthquake we experienced in Elazığ and to build a society prepared for potential disasters, from institutions to individuals. We are together to ensure a collaboration that will generate social benefit, from public institutions to the private sector.
To expand the platform, facilitate communication with the public, and eliminate the increasing misinformation among the public during disasters, stkplatformu.org will be used as the official website of the NGO DISASTER COORDINATION PLATFORM.
May it be beneficial to the country.
Notification from the Civil Society Organizations Disaster Coordination Platform
We actually have one more goal. I won’t list it here. Once we achieve it, we will announce it everywhere.
I can only say this: 3. If we can establish a system where the sector can work together and create synergy, as we envision, we will have greatly benefited our country, our nation, and humanity. All the best…
Here is the result of all our efforts. Vedat, founder of Octopus Volunteers, who has extensive field experience, gave a speech on CNN Türk. Well done, Vedat. Kudos to all the NGOs and their volunteers who put in their serious efforts.
Etiket: sosyal sorumluluk
