Report

In 1999, two devastating earthquakes, both measuring over 7.0R, struck the Marmara region of western Turkey. Over 18,000 people were killed and around 600,000 others became homeless as a result. UNICEF estimated that the earthquakes directly affected 62,000 children less than five years old, 114,000 children aged six to fourteen, and another 56,000 adolescents from fifteen to eighteen years old.

As foreign aid rushed into the country following the disasters, the homeless were housed in prefabricated housing structures in prefabricated cities. As the immediate settlement issues of those displaced by the earthquakes were quickly met, UNICEF instituted a plan of action to reincorporate the children and adolescents living in the prefabricated cities back into civil society. The four principal areas of the UNICEF agenda covered the areas of: 1) socialization and participation of youth; 2) education; 3) psycho-social support; and 4) leisure time activities.

My work in Turkey entailed living among, and participating within, the UNICEF sponsored activities that were on-going in the youth centers within prefabricated cities in the Marmara region of western Turkey.

I lived in the prefabricated city of Uzunçiftlik near the city of Izmit in the province of Kocaeli. The Uzunçiftlik prefabricated city was the field base of operations for the earthquake area projects of UNICEF and housed the field staff contracted by UNICEF to oversee and operate UNICEF projects for youth of the youth centers. We frequently traveled within five different provinces as part of our weekly work regime.

The two major projects I was involved in were the Agustos newspaper that was run for, and by, the youth of the prefabricated cities, and the Yeni Meydan Sahnesi theatre group that taught youth the principles of theatre and other drama activities. I also developed other activities, including coaching youth soccer teams, planting a garden with the adolescents of the Uzunçiftlik prefabricated city, and teaching environmental awareness classes.

Other activities I was involved in with UNICEF included documenting field activities for the main office in the capital city of Ankara, providing administrative and technical support in meetings, and writing funding documents to sustain the activities of the Agustos newspaper and Yeni Meydan Sahnesi theatre group.

Without doubt, my experiences working in Turkey with UNICEF through the generous funding of the Coca-Cola Foundation were valuable both professionally and personally.

As a doctoral student in anthropology I was able to witness firsthand how a culture foreign to mine and groups of people different from me adapt and respond to dramatic changes in their lives. My area of expertise lies in Latin America, yet my experiences working primarily with Turkish youth broadened my horizons and provided insights that I can use in my future work and research in Latin America. Furthermore, working with UNICEF allowed me to get a glimpse of how an international developmental organization functions on a daily basis.

On a personal basis, I was impressed at the resolve of the youth and the families I encountered with their perseverance and desire to create a positive and productive future for themselves. Although I was in daily contact with youth that lost fathers, sisters, girlfriends and other family members in the earthquakes of 1999 – not to mention their homes and nearly all of their personal belongings – they all looked forward to the future to continue to better their lives. The hope of better times to come propelled these individuals and families to seek their goals and attempt to reach their dreams.

Photo Gallery

Children in Sakarya.

Rural life in the mountains of the Marmara region.

Youth festival in Izmit.

My house in the Uzunçiftlik prefabricated city.

Residents of the old city of Ankara.

Birthday celebration in Uzunçiftlik prefabricated city.