The Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) has completed the second phase of its Tradespeople Support Program, initiated after the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes.

Aiming to heal the wounds of tradespeople in the most affected regions and revive the local economy, this support has provided a second payment installment of TL 97,865,000 ($2,965,606) to a total of 3,544 business owners. Thus, the total payment made under the program in 2024 has reached TL 196,765,000.

In total, 3,544 business owners benefited from the second phase of the Tradespeople Support Program, including 550 in Adıyaman, 215 in Gaziantep, 1,478 in Hatay, 583 in Kahramanmaraş, 562 in Malatya and 156 in Osmaniye. These businesses operate in various sectors, from plumbing to patisseries, and from hairdressing to tailoring.

The Red Crescent aims to help business owners get back on their feet by providing equipment, raw materials and other supplies through the Tradespeople Support Program, which supports the resumption of economic activities in the earthquake-affected provinces. The program prioritizes vulnerable groups, including the disabled, women and the elderly, to ensure that all segments of society participate in the economic recovery process.

The primary eligibility criteria for the Tradespeople Support Program include the business being directly affected by the earthquake, the owner being capable of resuming operations, the business being classified as micro or small-scale, and being registered with the Chamber of Tradesmen and Craftsmen.

The initial payments to all tradespeople meeting these criteria were made last June, followed by the planned second payments upon submission of the required documents. Following the Feb. 6 earthquakes, the Red Crescent provided TL 25 million in support to 607 tradespeople in 2023 as part of the program.

The organization continues its efforts to accelerate economic recovery in the earthquake region and help tradespeople return to their professional lives.