“When I crawled into my warm bed last night, I had to think about my cousin, who had to sleep in her car with five people in the disaster area,” says Fatima. She is one of the many volunteers who sorts relief goods in a warehouse in Helmond and prepares them for shipment. Since the relief campaign for the disaster area in Turkey in Helmond started spontaneously on Monday, the relief supplies have continued to flow in.
It is a coming and going of vans with stuff. Private individuals bring all sorts of things to the industrial hall of the Turkish entrepreneur Gohkan Denizoglo. Normally he deals in porches. Now he has something else on his mind. Collecting relief supplies for his compatriots who are in the disaster area in Turkey after the earthquakes. The action started immediately on Monday. Meanwhile, a van with heaters and other heating equipment is already on its way from Helmond to Turkey.
“We immediately took action on Monday.”
“We immediately took action on Monday,” says the 38-year-old entrepreneur: “This will certainly go to the people who need it. We have contacted the aid organizations in Turkey and the transport has already been arranged.” Gohkan’s phone almost stopped ringing after a call on Facebook: “Many friends and Turkish people respond, but also Dutch people. I am very grateful to them for that, this exceeds all expectations.”
The disaster in Turkey affects Gohkan personally: “A cousin of my wife is in the disaster area there. We haven’t been able to reach her yet. We know that the relief forces are working hard, but they can’t reach everyone. Well, we’re still waiting on news.”
“It also feels a bit double, because we have it so good here.”
Many volunteers and people who bring things have acquaintances, friends or family in the disaster area. Like Fatima from Helmond. She is sorting through a whole batch of brand new shoes that have just been delivered on behalf of a shoe store. “My cousin has been living with her family, five people in total, in her car since Monday. She also spent the night in it. Their house is still there but it is much too dangerous to enter. Many people try to enter the area “But the roads are congested. So they can’t go anywhere. It’s nice that I can lend a hand here. It also feels a bit double, because we have it so good here.”
Jildiz is one of the many people who bring things. She carries a garbage bag full of clothes: “There are women’s winter clothes in it, all new. I’ve cleaned out my closet. We have enough winter clothes in the house. The people there need it more than we do. When I see this here, I really emotional, very nice to see”.
Outside the umpteenth van with relief supplies stops. Entrepreneur Gohkan helps with volunteers to empty it and sort the stuff. It is the intention that the newest items go to Turkey first. Getting to the disaster area by truck is quite a journey. “If nothing goes wrong, they will be on the road for seven to eight days,” says Gohkan.
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