Earthquake survivors turn container cities into vegetable gardens

Following the devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye’s southeastern provinces on February 6, a container city has been established in the central Kayapinar district of Diyarbakir, which was among the eleven cities affected.

AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Authority) offered shelter to 2,400 disaster victims whose homes were severely damaged or completely destroyed in the province. These survivors creatively repurposed the spaces around the containers into vegetable gardens, with the assistance of landscaping by the Kayapinar Municipality.

By planting various seeds and seedlings like tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, watermelons, melons, zucchinis, peppers, sunflowers, and corn in the soil, the survivors not only engage in a therapeutic activity but also find joy in consuming the products of their labour, thereby alleviating stress.

Fatos Yavuz, residing in a container, has cultivated a vegetable patch of around 20 square metres adjacent to her container. She shared that they spend a significant part of their day in the garden, tending to the plants and removing weeds.

The garden offers her solace and a welcome distraction, ultimately enhancing her daily experience.

Ajda Yasar, whose home was severely affected by the earthquake, now resides in the container city with her spouse and three children. Besides attending sewing and embroidery classes offered within the container city, she invests her free time in nurturing the vegetable garden she established in collaboration with her neighbours.

Yasar finds the garden work therapeutic and cherishes the time she spends with her children in this setting. Her crops include peppers, tomatoes, okra, sunflowers, among others, as she prepares for the winter with her modest garden.

Metin Kuscu's journey started from a tent city, followed by a dormitory, and he eventually settled into a container with his wife and child. He underlined the importance of dedicating part of his day to the garden, which he sees as a way to cope with the lingering psychological effects of the earthquake.

He says he finds solace in his family's company and in the fruits of their gardening efforts.

Approximately seven hundred containers were arranged across 55 acres in the Kayapinar district, equipped with air conditioning, and the earthquake survivors received complimentary internet access.

The container city, inclusive of amenities like a mobile bakery and a grocery section, facilitates the distribution of food parcels, hygiene kits, and cleaning supplies every two weeks. In addition, the survivors are provided shopping cards to fulfil their grocery needs.

Backed by the Kayapinar District Governorship and the Municipality, an array of social and cultural activities are organised to support the earthquake survivors.

The container city further offers communal spaces such as kindergarten classrooms, special education classes, study centres, children's playgroups, health facilities, social markets, sewing and embroidery courses, hair salons, mobile libraries, a mosque, laundry facilities, and a basketball court.

Abdurrahman Ates, the Coordinator of the Temporary Accommodation Center in Kayapinar, emphasised their commitment to catering to the residents' shelter and essential needs.

He detailed the arrangement of social, cultural, and sports events, seminars, and courses aimed at aiding the survivors' psychological healing. The municipality provided soil for transforming open areas around the containers into vegetable gardens, fostering a sense of purpose and relaxation for the residents.

The container city boasts around 60 gardens, varying in size from 20 to 30 square metres.