The original appeal was launched on 2 May 2003 for CHF 2,384,000 (USD 1,770,079 / EUR 1,579,296) for six months for 36,000 beneficiaries. In July 2003 , the budget was reduced to CHF 1,418,000
Period covered: 18 December 2003
- 10 March 2004
The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 180 countries.
For more information: www.ifrc.org
In Brief
Contributions: For the latest list, please click on the web link below for details: http://www.ifrc.org/cgi/pdf_appeals.pl?03/1-2-3%20-%20ap0903.pdf
Related Emergency or Annual Appeals: Turkey Annual Appeal (01.79/2004)
Operational Developments
While other organizations have come and gone, the Turkish Red Crescent continues to work with the communities in south-eastern Turkey. Almost a year ago, the region was rocked by an earthquake, registering 6.4 on the Richter scale and killing over 170 people, many of them schoolchildren trapped in a dormitory. According to official statistics some 521 people were injured. The worst affected areas were Bingol and surrounding towns and villages, including Celtiksuyu, Sancak and Cimenli.
The legacy of the earthquake is still visible. People suffered considerably, both mentally and physically and the region's infrastructure was damaged.
The Red Crescent's emergency intervention included light search and rescue, distribution of water, food, clothing, tents, blankets and hygiene items. In tandem with the relief, the Turkish Red Crescent provided psychological support to victims of the earthquake to help them get back to their daily routine.
After the emergency intervention was completed, the Federation has shifted its focus to strengthen the Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay as it is known in Turkish) disaster management capacity to ensure effective response during future calamities . The priorities are:
- establishment of a disaster management centre in one of the Kizilay branches;
- training of staff and volunteers in different areas such as first aid, monitoring and reporting;
- procurement of canvas for the production of tents and protection boxes for emergency field equipment; and
- development of groups of psycho-social support trainers and volunteers to help people, affected by the disaster, cope with their emotional, psychological and behavioural needs .
Consultations with the national society continue to establish a disaster management centre either in Bingol, neighbouring Diyarbakir or Elazig, based on analysis of branch capacity and location.
The procurement of canvas for tents is arranged internationally through the Federation secretariat in Geneva. The psycho-social component will be implemented in Bingol, Diyarbakir, Elazig, Mus and Batman. Based on the information provided by Red Crescent Directorate of Branches as well as the initial report prepared by the psychosupport team and the field work conducted, Diyarbakir has been identified as a coord ination center to launch the psycho-social support activities. The activities include:
- Identifying disaster victims who still
need psycho-social support, referring or providing these people with psycho-social
support and duplicating and distributing relevant materials (brochures,
etc).
- Identifying the needs of psycho-social
support services of Red Crescent branches that are within the scope of
the project.
- Developing a 'psychological first aid
training of trainers programme' that has different levels for Red Crescent
personnel and volunteers, professional and the public.
- Increasing the number of volunteers
of Red Crescent branches that are within the scope of the project, train
ing of these volunteers and enhancing the capacity for disasters.
- Carrying out cooperative activities
with public institutions and civil society organizations in order to identify
the psycho-social support capacity of the project provinces.
- Including in the psycho-social support
training programme the disaster personnel who work at organizations and
institutions that will respond to future emergencies.
- Establishing cooperation to ensure that
the mentioned organizations can provide efficient psycho-social support
service at a possible disaster; developing sectoral plans that are consistent
with Red Crescent overall disaster plan.
- Establishing a referral system to the public health system for more complicated cases.
Recent change of the leadership in the Turkish Red Crescent, however, delayed implementation. Approaches to the operation were re-discussed and agreed on with the new management. To accommodate the projected activities, the timeframe of the programme has been extended for another three months and will close now on 30 June 2004.
For further information please contact:
Turkish Red Crescent Society, email: tkd@kizilay.org.tr, phone: 90 312 4302300; fax: 90 312 430 0175
Carl Naucler, head of regional delegation, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Turkey and Southern Caucasus, email: ifrctr06@ifrc.org phone: 90 312 441 42 92 fax: 90 312 441 38 66
Sylvie Chevalley, regional officer, Europe department, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva, email: sylvie.chevalley@ifrc.org phone: 41 22 730 4276; fax: 41 22 733 03 95;
All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the Code of Conduct and is committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (SPHERE Project) in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable. For support to or for further information concerning Federation programmes or operations in this or other countries, please access the Federation website at http://www.ifrc.org