Quake survivors train kindergartners in eastern Türkiye

VAN

Children wearing red helmets gather around AFAD teams and an emergency vehicle at Simya Kindergarten in Van’s Edremit district.

University students who survived the 2011 earthquakes in the eastern province of Van have been teaching kindergartners disaster preparedness since the start of the school year, aiming to build regional resilience.

Trained by academics and experts under the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), these volunteers have been conducting outreach across the region. Having already reached three kindergartens and two facilities, the group recently taught the “drop, cover, and hold on” method at Edremit’s Simya Kindergarten, where AFAD officers also showcased specialized emergency equipment.

Van Yüzüncü Yıl University (YYÜ) Security Vocational School Director Eda Gökırmak Söğüt said she established the Emergency Management Student Club following her own experiences during the Oct. 23 and Nov. 9, 2011 earthquakes. Marking the 15th anniversary of the disasters, the initiative aims to create awareness for everyone from ages 7 to 70, she said.

“The foundational steps of creating a resilient society pass through here. Our buildings, children and society must be prepared,” Söğüt said. They aim to reach all provincial institutions to maintain this resilience, keep the memories alive and ensure communities are prepared, she said.

Preschool teacher Nisa Ebinç said the pain remains fresh 15 years later, describing early childhood as a crucial period for acquiring basic life skills. “We must prepare our children for the future with knowledge, not fear,” she said.

YYÜ Emergency and Disaster Management student Hiranur Güzem said she was forgotten at her home with her sibling due to panic during the initial 2011 tremor. “We experienced great fear inside. If we knew what to do, we could have gone under a table. Now we want children to learn these,” she said.

Fellow survivor and student Merve Çelik said she was caught unprepared as a child, remaining directly under damaged buildings out of ignorance. “We distribute brochures across university faculties to explain how they can protect themselves. We showed the students here how to drop under a desk,” Çelik said.

Kindergarten student Narin Hena Ekinci said she learned how to act during a disaster. “We protect our heads, go under a desk and hold onto a sturdy item tightly. After the earthquake ends, we move to a pre-determined safe area,” Ekinci said. Another young student, Sena Kavin Balka, said she will share the information with her family.

A 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Van on Oct. 23, 2011, causing widespread destruction. A subsequent 5.6-magnitude tremor hit the region on Nov. 9, 2011, exacerbating the severe damage across the province.