The "Livelihoods Recovery Programme" launched last November by the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has achieved significant progress in the recovery of the local businesses in the earthquake-affected zones in Türkiye.

Through the cash support program for micro and small enterprises (MSME), farmers, craftspeople and small businesses were supported in rebuilding their futures, rehabilitation of livestock and agricultural areas, and the repair of damaged infrastructure.

While the first phase supported 607 micro and small enterprises with an average cash transfer of TL 40,000 ($1,223.90) per person, the program entered its second phase in June and will continue until February 2025.

The cash transfers also helped more than 860 agricultural and livestock farmers who received payments in two installments in the first phase of the program. Each person received an average of TL 30,000.

On Feb. 6, 2023, Türkiye was shaken by deadly earthquakes, later dubbed as the "Disaster of the Century," in which over 53,537 lives were lost, 107,213 were injured and over 800,000 independent units, encompassing homes and businesses, were severely damaged. The seismic waves, each with magnitudes exceeding 6.5, reverberated across a vast expanse, covering 120,000 square kilometers (46,332 square miles). An estimated 14 million people found themselves in the quake's impact zone.

"People not only lost their homes but also their sources of income. Over 25% of the population affected by the earthquakes has lost their income-generating activities. It will take years to rebuild their lives and become self-sufficient again. The Turkish Red Crescent and IFRC have been at the very heart of the earthquakes’ response since day one and will continue to support communities for many years to come," Jessie Thomson, head of the IFRC Türkiye Delegation, told Daily Sabah in an exclusive interview.

"It is not the time to scale down – we need to redouble our efforts. Despite important steps forward, the long road to recovery remains. The affected people now require support in rebuilding their businesses, recovering their lost livelihoods and in beginning the slow journey back to normalcy," she added.

In the second phase of the program, Kızılay and the IFRC are looking to assist 4,000 micro and small enterprises and 2,000 farmers.

Highly vulnerable female micro and small enterprises and young micro and small enterprises aged 18-30 will receive TL 80.000, those in the manufacturing/production sector will receive TL 70,000 while those in the retail/service sectors will receive TL 50,000.

A study conducted among earthquake survivors, who were supported in the first phase, revealed the positive impact of the program with the majority expressing satisfaction with the support received, according to the IFRC.

The study showcased that cash assistance was highly preferred over in-kind assistance.

Individuals stated that they utilized it to reestablish their businesses through purchases of equipment, raw materials or machinery.

Memik Göbelek, who earns a living through animal husbandry in Kahramanmaraş province, witnessed the collapse of both his house and the barn where his animals were kept during the earthquakes. Since then, he has been living in a container in Kahramanmaraş. Many of his animals perished under the rubble.

With the assistance of the Turkish Red Crescent's cash support mechanism, he was able to purchase hay and animal feed for his cattle.

"We saved two of our seven animals, five of them remained under the debris. The Red Crescent helped us, may they be blessed. I purchased hay and feed," he said in an interview with the IFRC, which was shared with Daily Sabah. "I expect further assistance. Our financial situation is not good."

The results show that while a significant number of recipients (96% of farmers and 90% of MSMEs) experienced a moderate improvement in their business recovery with the provided assistance, a smaller but notable group (4% of farmers and 10% of MSMEs) experienced high improvements in their business recovery, the IFRC added.

Another recipient of the aid program, Ali Öztürk, a farmer from Gaziantep, faced the destruction of his barn and tractor due to the earthquakes.

"I used to have animal husbandry. The earthquake destroyed the barn in front of my house. My tractor was buried under the debris," he said. "After the earthquake, I did not give up. I continued to take care of my land."

With cash grants from the Turkish Red Crescent and IFRC, he purchased agricultural supplies to maintain his olive and grape crops.

"The Red Crescent and IFRC provided me with cash support twice. With the cash support, I first bought fertilizers that I used in the field, then I bought pesticides," he added.