Geneva, 23 December 1999
Dear Colleagues,
Following completion of its relief operations (ref. ACT Appeal METR91 issued on 27 August), the Christian Churches in Turkey, better known as TACT, will withdraw from the Izmit area in early 2000. Izmit, as readers will recall was the epicentre of the August 17 earthquake which devasted the Marmara region in north western Turkey.
Despite earlier plans, TACT has now decided not to undertake the rehabilitation (Phase II) measures in the Izmit area, leaving a considerable amount of unspent funds.
TACT is however, continuing relief efforts in the Düzce area where ACT member Dutch Interchurch Aid too is providing shelter (refer ACT Appeal METR92 issued on 26 November, 1999). Düzce, also in the Marmara region, was struck by a severe earthquake on November 12.
In the meantime, ACT member United Methodist Committee on Relief, based on its assessment, has drawn up plans for rehabilitation measures to be implemented through UMCOR's local partners in the Izmit area. The plans include:
Rehabilitation and revitalization of the Karamursel School for the Deaf, a Government supported school for 80 deaf students aged 7 - 18 in Yalova Province. The project aims to rehabilitate educational and dormitory facilities; introduce modern equipment and teaching methods into the Turkish hearing-impaired curriculum and with the assistance of outside expertise and the collaboration of the school's instructors, provide post-earthquake trauma counselling and disaster preparedness training to a uniquely vulnerable population. Estimated expenditure US$ 242,000.
An emergency mobile shelter project in the municipality of Adapazari, providing urgently needed hardened shelter (winterised housing) for 192 families. Estimated cost US$ 595,200.
A social rehabilitation project for children, youth and women in the regions of Golcuk and Izmit with the aim of providing training, counselling and material inputs for more than 1,200 women now left without economic means ; expanding the range of extracurricular and recreational opportunities for more than 400 children and youth in the camps who otherwise have no access to non-school activities ; developing new programmes for teenagers aged 14 - 17 and providing training in disaster preparedness and counselling in psycho-social rehabilitation to both women and youth. Estimated cost US$ 110,000
An appeal with the above components will be issued in early January 2000.
Thank you for your attention.
ACT Web Site address: http://www.act-intl.org
ACT is a worldwide network of churches and related agencies meeting human need through coordinated emergency response.
The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.