Earthquake in Turkey: a tragedy for thousands of children
Audio 01:52
Children play in a camp in Kahramanmaras, February 11, 2023. REUTERS - RONEN ZVULUN
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
In Kahramanmaras, RFI was able to visit one of the humanitarian camps, set up in the middle of a stadium, in which children are trying to regain some semblance of normal life.
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With our special correspondent in Kahramanmaras,
Pierre Olivier
After the search for survivors, a new challenge to take up: the rehousing of hundreds of thousands of homeless people.
Among these people, thousands of children who need to be cared for but above all help to live and hope after the disaster.
Between the white camp tents, the boys are playing football.
A few meters away, a 6-year-old girl is staring.
“
I was very scared during the earthquake.
I was at home with my parents.
Yesterday, dad went back to get toys for my two little brothers and for me and my sister, barbies.
»
Her voice choked, she confesses: “
I have two dreams: my first is to go home with my parents, my second is to go back to school with my friends.
»
For more than a week, these children, sometimes orphans, have been trying to forget the disaster.
"
We play ball, we walk, there are games for the children...
", says a boy.
This woman arrived from the countryside three days ago with her daughter.
Their house is completely destroyed.
“
We used to go camping, but now... it's not the same!
We lack everything... Here there is no hygiene, no cleanliness, the children have fallen ill.
»
Nur Zeyden is a volunteer nurse in the camp, at the bedside of traumatized children, she has not slept for two days.
“
I'll give you examples: a one-year-old child.
He lived through the earthquake and now when he hears the wind blowing, he starts crying.
Another 6 year old.
He wants to cry but can't!
The children tell us that their heart is beating too fast!
»
Faced with the distress of these children, caregivers often have only a few dusty toys to offer them.
Like a remedy... derisory!
■
Exodus as the only horizon
A week after the deadly earthquakes, thousands of people are still trying to flee the affected areas.
In some regions, the railway tracks, destroyed by the earthquake, no longer allow trains to run.
It is therefore towards the buses that the inhabitants turn.
Report at the Kahramanmaras bus station.
Sitting on a metal seat, this father, his wife and their four children are desperately waiting for a place in a bus.
“
Our house is destroyed!
We have no relatives here, we have nothing left, everything is closed.
We can't stay!
We arrived this morning.
We are waiting, they told us they were going to help us!
»
In every corner of this bus station, everywhere the same distress.
“
We've been here 3...5 hours, I don't know.
We wait.
If there are buses, we will leave, otherwise we will still wait.
We want to go to Kayseri for a few days, so we can have a roof, eat hot food.
We are very sad to leave the city, but we will come back and put the city back on its feet!
»
A departure without return for others.
This man wants to settle his family in Ankara.
“
We are leaving because the children are not doing well psychologically.
Young people feel bad.
And we are all in shock…
”
And as if the situation were not difficult enough, these victims must face another problem.
“
They say all departures from Kahramanmaras
are free, but look for six people, I paid 170 euros!
Our houses are demolished and they make us pay anyway!
»
But whatever the price to pay, all these inhabitants have only one idea in mind, to flee this devastated area.
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Turkey
Earthquake