International Blue Crescent Relief and Development Foundation which keeps on working under the motto of "People First", implements projects for the Syrian refugees in Kilis whom abandon from the civil war in their country. In this context, the press trip was organized to explain their efforts towards the refugeEs both in Kilis and across the border and as well as to attract the attention of the international community. Skyturk360, ATV News, TRT, ECO Time, Haberturk and Dailies as Sabah, Zaman, Cumhuriyet, Sozcu and news agents Xinhua and Ihlas particpated to the trip. The first stop of journalists’ whom attended from Ankara and Istanbul was International Blue Crescent Relief and Development Foundation’s office in Kilis. The Foundation's Chairman Recep Uker, talked about the foundation's work in his presentation to the reporters. Journalists then visited International Blue Crescent Relief and Development Foundation’s food distribution tent at Temporary Shelter Centre set up right next to the Seve Dam. Today's menu of hot lunch consisting of soup, meat with fries and rice were distributed to refugees. International Blue Crescent Relief and Development Foundation Chairman Recep Uker provided information to journalists regarding Temporary Shelter Center specifying that they distribute three hot meals a day to about 4.000 people, said:
"By today in Kilis, with the support that we received from international aid organizations, we distributed cash aid, winter clothing, blanket distribution, child rehabilitation and gaming center, field hospital project, health center project, vocational training course, hygiene and child package distribution. The international public humanitarian assistance is needed by claiming more to the drama here. The state's bureaucratic rules leads to late delivery of supports made, "he said. Journalists then toured the International Blue Crescent Field Hospital, rehabilitation center and children's play area in the city center. Delegations who visited Suleyman Tapsiz the Governor of Kilis at his office and received information about Syrian and Kilis. Suleyman Tapsiz the Governor of Kilis, said: "EU countries and from various countries of the world made 130 million dollars in aid specifying that Turkey is made annual 2 billion dollars aid. The aids of local governments’, special administrations’ and NGOs’ are not included in 2 billion dollars which Turkey spends. Turkey was left alone in helping people. Our state trying to do his best to help refugees, "he said.
It is not a camp, almost a city...
After the visit in Kilis, foundation managers and journalists were gone to Elbeyli Refugees Container City. Vedat Yilmaz the Deputy Governor of Kilis welcomed the delegations here. Deputy Governor Yilmaz giving information on the camp, said: 23.000 people are sheltering in the camp and it is the biggest container city of Turkey's with 3600 container. Yilmaz, "The camp is almost like a city with middle-aged men, women and children living in. There are 5 schools in the camp. All types of education can be given from kindergarten to high school. Children lead a life like there has never been a war. We have a market in the city. Our Syrian guests provide their food needs from there. We pay 80 TL a month per person. They can only buy eatables with that money.”
Journalists toured the classes where Syrian children are studied Turkish, English and Computer. Because of the weekend there were no students in classes, Syrian women who are attended the hairdressing and handcrafted course for adult women said they wish their labor be converted into cash to contribute the family budget and no more they want to weigh on Turkey.
