Author: Dallandyshe Xhaferri
For Ecem Erdogan, the fear left by the earthquake in Turkey is mixed with the hope for help. From February 6, when the earth shook and took more than 50 thousand lives, many countries, among them Albania, continue to give their help. For Albania, the voluntary support brought out once again that in addition to financial assistance, we still need more awareness about volunteering in humanitarian situations.
“ I was 1 kilometers away from the epicenter of the earthquake, but I was so desperate… cities were collapsing and we couldn’t prevent anything ,” Ecem Erdogan, an English student at Istanbul University, tells “Sinjalizo.” One of the countries that offered assistance for the tragedy is our country. Haki Çako, Director of the National Civil Protection Agency (AKMC), tells “Sinjalizo” that there is a direct governmental agreement between the two countries approved by the Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, and the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkey is the friendly country that after the November 26 earthquake, four years ago, financed the construction of 522 apartments in Laç.
"There were 42 specialized forces. There were a total of 5 volunteers who went later and 2 volunteer doctors who joined in Istanbul," Haki Çako tells "Sinjalizo".
He then states that in total "86 forces of the Albanian side participated in the operation from February 7 to February 15 in the city of Malatja", among them "15 personnel from the Armed Forces" were also registered.
"For all participation, there is a compensation formula from the General Directorate of Civil Emergencies in Brussels, given that we are members of civil protection and it goes up to 70% of the contribution, which is compensated by the joint contributions made in membership in the European Civil Protection system", - adds Haki Çako.
Through an official response, the Ministry of Finance and Economy emphasizes to “Sinjalizo” that; “ The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in the approved budget for 2023, is added the equivalent in lek of the fund of 1,000,000 (one million) euros, for the provision of humanitarian financial assistance by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania to support the government of Turkey for the damages caused by the earthquake of February 6, 2023. ” This institution further mentions that “ this donated value constitutes 0,02% of the state budget expenditures .”
Albania with few volunteers
Nebi Muçaj, Director of the Voluntary Center for Civil Emergencies, admits to "Sinjalizo" that 10 people from this center served as volunteers in Turkey, while in total the center has about 430 forces.
"We have a significant number of volunteers who join this center, around 400-430, but we had to send the most appropriate specialists in this field (in earthquake cases)," he says, adding later that " The forces that went to Turkey are elite forces. Considering the distance, the terrain and the short time, we sent 10 specialized forces from our own ," concludes Muçaj.
However, sources from the fire department tell "Sinjalizo" on the condition of anonymity that they have never been trained for earthquakes.
" We have never been trained on how to act in the event of earthquakes, and the tools we use have not changed even after the November 26 earthquake ," says a firefighter.
What did we give away?
Artur Katuçi, secretary general of the Albanian Red Cross, tells "Sinjalizo" that the monetary amount collected by the Albanian people to help those affected by the earthquake in Tuqi "reaches the value of 50 thousand dollars."
"It is a figure that we have transferred to the Turkish Crescent," says Katuçi, adding, "it is not a bad figure, it is not a large figure that will make a difference in the needs that will be required, but it is a figure that, by adding to the entire large appeal that the Turkish Crescent has issued to support its operation, I think that this will also have its own contribution and at least the value of the support of the Albanian people," he tells "Sinjalizo", acknowledging that the Albanian Red Cross's goals include helping the Syrian people affected by the earthquake.
"One of our mobile components in Syria is the International Committee of the Red Cross. It is there because of the conflict that has been going on for years," he says, adding that the aid that will go to the Syrian people "could be worth $20."
The girl who helped as a volunteer
Al Alwadiha is one of the foreign students in Albania who served as a volunteer in collecting aid near the mosques for the affected in Turkey.
" We collected everything, starting from food and clothes, which we packed into categories according to age ," says the Ethiopian girl, adding that at the collection point at the Namazgja mosque "about 1 million lek was collected."
The encouragement of volunteering is also missing in schools
“The funds donated by our citizens were received directly, without mediation. That is, they are funds collected in city squares, in markets, shops, in schools ”, says Katuçi, adding that the value collected for the earthquake in Turkey by the Red Cross “ is almost double the income collected for the war in Ukraine ”. The expert suggests launching a campaign to change the mentality on volunteerism. For Nebi Muçaj, encouraging volunteerism through classes is considered especially important.
"We need to work even harder, of course. Awareness-raising should be, why not, even an hour in schools to prepare and express, to encourage the volunteering part ," says Muçaj.
