In the early hours of 6 February, south-central Turkey and north-western Syria were hit by two devastating earthquakes, laying waste to 11 provinces and affecting around 15 million people in Turkey alone.
When the news of the disaster reached the KL Turkey colleagues, they immediately wanted to help: “The workers here in Çerkezköy felt responsible and initiated a collection amongst themselves,” says Hamza Bulut, Plant Manager & Site Executive Officer KLT. By evening they had bought supplies which were sent into the affected regions in the south of Turkey straight away. The initiative met with great approval from regional management, who, also wanting to help, quickly released funds to buy and send 27 heaters for immediate relief.
Shortly after the disaster, Freudenberg Group also contributed by providing 250,000 euros in donations to Aktion Deutschland Hilft e. V. and the Red Cross/ Turkish Red Crescent
Hamza Bulut, Plant Manager & Site Executive Officer KLT
“Shortly after the disaster, Freudenberg Group also contributed by providing 250,000 euros in donations to Aktion Deutschland Hilft e. V. and the Red Cross/ Turkish Red Crescent,” recounts Hamza Bulut. And help by KLT workers both in Istanbul and in Çerkezköy is ongoing with food and cleaning product donations.
But Klüber’s assistance was not only in the form of money or goods. The company also enabled employees experienced in relief work to go to the affected areas. Like Onur Topçu. The Purchasing Specialist is also the founder of the non-profit organisation ‘Unvansız Gönüllüler’ (“The Untitled Volunteers”). He has been given administrative leave when needed by the company in order to provide aid in remote villages where he and fellow volunteers prepared food boxes and organised their distribution. “It will take years for the region to recover, so I’m grateful that Klüber is supporting us in providing ongoing help,” Onur Topçu says.