15.02.2023

Aid Relief Operations of Koç Group 
 

22 min

Arçelik:
  • The search and rescue team of Arçelik has joined efforts in the region. Earthquake victims are being provided with aid and assistance addressing their shelter, heating, food, clothing, and hygiene needs according to a continuously updated list of requirements. Solar panels, excavation machinery & equipment, and generators have also been dispatched to stricken areas as have stoves fashioned from the company’s stock of washing machine drums to serve as sources of heat. In Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, and Adıyaman Arçelik is setting up Fixed Support Points equipped with kitchens serving hot meals. The company is also preparing to set up laundries equipped with washers and driers. Arçelik is likewise working closely with AFAD to provide refrigerators that field hospitals may require to store pharmaceuticals and medical supplies as well as their other urgent appliance needs.
Aygaz:
  • Aygaz employees, dealers, and deliverers have been fully mobilized and continue to ensure that that earthquake victims in stricken areas are kept continuously supplied with the bottled gas, hobs, heaters and in addition to drinking water through Pürsu subsidiary. Aygaz and Mogaz customers may donate any Aygaz or Mogaz cylinders they’re not using to an Aygaz dealership. These cylinders are being refilled at Aygaz’s expense and then dispatched to where they are needed in line with ministry and AFAD Coordination Center directions. An “Earthquake Bottled Gas Assistance” campaign has been initiated on the Aygaz Mobile platform. Customers anywhere in the country may take part in this campaign through the Aygaz Mobile app. Aygaz coordinates with authorities to ensure that filled cylinders corresponding to the discounted-price orders that users place through the app are quickly dispatched to where they are needed.
Ark İnşaat:
  • The company dispatched construction machinery and teams to the region for search and rescue efforts and actively took part in the efforts. Company-owned employee housings in Ankara were opened up to host earthquake survivors and aids in kind were delivered to the region. In addition, procurement of mobile WCs to the earthquake region continues.
Bilkom:
  • The company shipped all powerbanks, in-vehicle chargers, and charging cables in stock to the region in coordination with AFAD to help resolve communication hardships of earthquake survivors. Playing an effective role in search and rescue efforts, DJI Enterprise’s (which is represented in Türkiye by Bilkom) drones with thermal cameras were actively used in the field. Drone, battery and software support is provided in line with the needs of AKUT (Search and Rescue Association), the police department, and gendarmerie. Mobile toilet service was made available in Hatay’s Kırıkhan Stadium in cooperation with Zer and TCL Electronics to fulfill the needs for personal hygiene and toilet use. Generators were shipped to the region in coordination with AFAD. The company carries on with its efforts to distribute hot meals.
Demir Export:
  • The company reached out to Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman and Hatay with its search and rescue team and necessary equipment, tools and generators. The team actively took part in search and rescue efforts with all their might. Fuel oil and other necessities were procured through continuous logistics support. Sivas Kangal Company Guesthouse was rearranged and put into use to accommodate 200 earthquake survivors for an indefinite term. The list of all construction machinery was submitted to official authorities for their information and use.
Divan:
  • The company opened up its hotels in Gaziantep Adana, and Diyarbakır to earthquake survivors. In addition, Mersin, Bursa, Çorlu, Ankara and İstanbul City hotels were also opened up for citizens impacted by the earthquake. Hot meal service is ongoing in Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep and İskenderun from out of three fully-equipped trucks having the capacity to feed 1000 people every 3 hours.
Düzey:
  • The company has been providing logistics support for shipping ready-to-eat canned meals to the earthquake region since the first day. The company donates and distributes ready-to-eat meals made of its pulse private label Ekin products in the disaster zone. Having made it its top priority to keep food flow in the region alive, Düzey keeps working uninterruptedly to deliver aid to the earthquake zone.
Entek:
  • The company opened up Kılavuzlu Hydroelectric Power Plant in Kahramanmaraş to earthquake survivors for temporary accommodation. In addition, Entek dispatched blankets, heating stoves, food, tents, beds, clothing, medical supplies and hygienic materials that were urgently needed in the region. The company carries on with its aid deliveries according to emerging needs.
Ford Otosan:
  • Ford Otosan is sending food, clothing, heaters, generators, and temporary housing to the stricken region. The company set up a field hospital in Kahramanmaraş where its own medical team is providing essential health & medical care. Ford Otosan’s own search & rescue team has taken part in local S&R operations. Ford Otosan employee volunteers have reached the area and are supporting AFAD S&R operations. All company-owned parking facilities fit for purpose are open and are providing their localities with such assistance as they are capable of doing. Company-dispatched 4x4 vehicles are delivering relief and conveying operational support to remote areas whose roads make them otherwise inaccessible. In disaster areas, free regular maintenance is being provided for ambulances and free maintenance & repair services are being provided for firefighting and rescue vehicles and for mobile winches. Free towing and roadside assistance services are also being provided.
 
Koçfinans:
  • The company dispatched generators, bottled water, food and diapers to the region. Hot meal service and victuals distribution continue in coordination with AFAD. Food and cleaning supplies were delivered to the region in cooperation with the company’s dealers. Efforts, coordinated by Zer, are ongoing for dispatching hygienic kits to the region.
KoçSistem:
  • Volunteering KoçSistem employees with search and rescue experience took part in search and rescue efforts in the disaster region in accordance with AFAD’s directions. Furthermore, urgent necessities were delivered to earthquake survivors, which included blankets, sleeping bags, heaters, winter clothes, baby food/care products, hygienic supplies, foodstuff and powerbanks.
Koçtaş:
  • The company supplied tents, blankets, electric heaters, sleeping bags, generators, and mats to the earthquake-hit zones, and materials and equipment were provided free of charge to search and rescue teams. The company’s support is ongoing in line with the needs.
Opet:
  • The day the earthquake struck, Opet dispatched tankers to the region to ensure that fuel supplies would not be interrupted. Since then, Opet mobile tankers and stations have been in operation in coordination with AFAD and local authorities to ensure that the region’s fuel requirements are met. Fuel and associated services are being provided by Opet free of charge. Fuel stocks at stations in disaster areas are monitored on a daily basis and a special team has been formed to deliver fuel in order to ensure fuel availability by keeping stations’ supplies above a critical threshold. Essential food items, baby formula, water, canned & dried foods, adult winter garments & footware, infant & adult diapers, sanitary pads, wet wipes, blankets, duvets, chemical toilets, heaters and similar necessities have been supplied to the region. The company continues to send portable toilets and vital supplies.
Otokar
  • The Otokar Natural Disaster Search & Rescue Team reached the stricken area within 24 hours and joined S&R operations immediately. The company has dispatched tents, generators, excavation equipment, garments, heaters, hygiene supplies, food, water, and medical equipment and supplies. All Otokar-branded government-owned vehicles and public transport vehicles in the area are being serviced to ensure their uninterrupted operation. Otokar plant employees are donating blood to Turkish Red Crescent. In cooperation with TürkTraktör, the company supports the daily food needs for the field dining hall established in Hatay under the coordination of Aygaz-Zer. Otokar also designed a bus to deliver hot meals in the earthquake zone. This bus will serve as a mobile kitchen.
Otokoç Otomotiv:
  • The company dispatched caravans, tents, water, blankets, generators, containers, foodstuff, heating stoves, beds, sleeping bags and winter cloths to the earthquake zone. Adana facility was turned into humanitarian aid base for the survivors; supplies collected in the location were shipped to necessary places. The company acted in cooperation with its dealers to respond to urgent needs. Commercial vehicles and passenger cars were allocated for dispatching rescue and healthcare teams, shipping medical supplies and distributing the aid materials. Support was delivered to hearing-impaired and visually-impaired individuals via İEFF, Association for Educational Activities for the Hearing-Impaired. Mobile service vehicles were dispatched to the region for repairing/maintenance of rescue and support vehicles in the region, particularly the vehicles of the Provincial Health Directorate. Blood donation drive was organized addressing the Company’s employees. The company supported the transportation of earthquake survivors to other cities. Together with Arçelik, the company contributed to the mobile kitchen.
RMK Marine:
  • RMK Marine dispatched aid consisting of water, food, disposable products and clothing to the earthquake zone.
 
Setur:
  • The company provided blankets, clothing and hygienic materials to the earthquake zone. Provision of tents is ongoing. Setur is handling the settlement and transportation/transfer requests of survivors in coordination with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to ensure organized fulfillment of their sheltering needs.
Setur Marinas:
  • The company turned all Setur marinas into earthquake zone humanitarian aid collection points. The company extended support for the daily hot meal needs of survivors. It also dispatched mobile WC and shower units to the earthquake zone.
Sendeo:
  • The company continues to dispatch the humanitarian aid published by AFAD, Turkish Red Crescent and local administrations in coordination with these institutions to the earthquake zone, and to deliver the needs at specified locations in the disaster areas. In addition, the company, together with its business partners, transports the humanitarian aid to the earthquake zones free of charge.
Tat Gıda:
  • The company continues to dispatch its trucks carrying its ready-to-eat meal products to help respond to the food need in quake-hit provinces in coordination with AFAD. Volunteering Tat team formed of engineers, technicians and handymen having expertise in the use of technical equipment and are experienced in maintenance and repairs continue to work in Hatay in coordination with AFAD.
Tanı:
  • The company dispatched sheltering materials, clothing, basic hygienic materials and supplies to the earthquake zones and carries on with its support in accordance with the emerging needs.
Tofaş
  • Tofaş lorries were immediately dispatched to the stricken region to deliver aid to those in need of it. Material relief continues to be supplied as required. In coordination with AFAD, a Tofaş search & rescue and medical team was quickly dispatched to take part in search & rescue operations in stricken areas. Reaching the earthquake zone on February 6th, the team took part in S&R operations in Kahramanmaraş for a week. To ensure that Tofaş customers can be kept supplied with essential vehicle repair & maintenance services without interruption, prefab container houses are being installed in the vicinity of dealerships to serve as accommodations for service personnel.
Tüpraş
  • Tüpraş search & rescue teams set to work in the area soon after the earthquake struck and are still there. Victims, hospitals, excavation equipment, and generators in AFAD-designated areas are being kept supplied with essential fuel, which is also being provided through mobile Tüpraş stations. Excavation machinery & equipment, generators, mobile lighting systems etc have been dispatched to the area for use in S&R and rubble-removal operations. Prefab container houses, beds, and bedchairs etc. as well as basic necessities such as drinking water, canned foods, winter garments & footware etc. continue to be dispatched through AFAD. A train operated by Tüpraş subsidiary Körfez Ulaştırma is keeping the area supplied with fuel and also carrying relief for delivery to places where it is needed.
TürkTraktör
  • TürkTraktör is supplying excavation equipment and operators for use in the conduct of S&R operations and has also dispatched teams of personnel to provide essential services & repairs for equipment in Hatay and Kahramanmaraş. Relief lorries carrying winter clothing, blankets, diapers, heaters, stoves, powerbanks etc. as well as water, bagged bread, and canned foods have also been dispatched to the area. These vehicles are also suitable for use as temporary housing. 50 and 60 kVA mobile generators were sent to provide emergency power. These generators are now in operation in a temporary housing area in Adana and in a field hospital in Kahramanmaraş. With the support of a local TürkTraktör dealer, essential diesel fuel was supplied to the Kahramanmaraş AFAD Coordination Center. Prefab container houses have been donated through the Ankara Chamber of Industry for use as housing for earthquake victims whose homes were damaged. TürkTraktör has partnered with Otokar to set up a field kitchen in Hatay in coordination with Aygaz and Zer. This kitchen will be capable of providing a thousand meals a day. The company has also dispatched food-service personnel of its own in support of a field kitchen set up in Hatay by Koç subsidiary Yemekhane.
Yapı Kredi:
  • The Yapı Kredi Search & Rescue Group and more than 1,500 Yapı Kredi employee volunteers are currently at work in the earthquake zone. Relief is being dispatched on a daily basis from Yapı Kredi headquarters to three logistics centers set up in the region. These materials are being delivered to those in need by Yapı Kredi employee volunteers. Yapı Kredi is taking every measure necessary to ensure that its customers in stricken areas are kept supplied with essential banking services and support without interruption. The bank has been operating three mobile branches in the area since last week. Remote services are also being made available to Yapı Kredi customers whose branches are currently out of operation. Yapı Kredi has also announced a comprehensive financial support package for customers whose branches are located in disaster areas.
Zer:
  • The company dispatched aid trucks carrying generators, blankets, water, heater, hygienic materials for women and packaged baby diapers to Hatay Centrum and Hatay Kırıkhan in coordination with AFAD and Turkish Red Crescent officials. Meals were served by Zer as part of the hot meal and victuals delivery service, which is carried out in coordination with AFAD. Meal service (funded by Bilkom, Ingage, KoçFinans, Otokar, Setur Marinas, TürkTraktör and WAT Motor companies), laundry service (with Arçelik washing machines and tumble driers), and sanitary service with mobile WCs (by Bilkom – TCL Electronics Türkiye) are provided in the living space set up by AFAD in Hatay’s Kırıkhan stadium.
Vehbi Koç Foundation:
  • VKV (Vehbi Koç Foundation) Healthcare Institutions assigned 102 healthcare professionals including pediatricians, neurosurgeons, emergency physicians, anesthesiologists and resuscitation specialists, orthopedists, forensic scientists, nurses, anesthetic technicians and support staff to the disaster zone in coordination with AFAD and the Ministry of Health. All healthcare professionals reached the disaster zone equipped with the medications, materials and supplies prepared for their use. Additional medication and supplies potentially needed in the region were delivered by our healthcare professionals to healthcare workers and institutions at the locations they were assigned to.
  • Koç University Search and Rescue Team actively took part in the search and rescue efforts in İskenderun. Koç University Counseling Service is working on a program which will be launched to offer psychological support to earthquake survivor students.
  • In addition, parent-teacher associations and student associations of the Koç School, a VKV institution, are sending tents, heaters and other humanitarian aid to the region.