A building that collapsed during the earthquake in Turkey. Photo Shutterstock The donations will be used to help earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria. The bake sale will take place in The Spot in Orion next Wednesday, February 22, between 11.00 and 17.00.
Çılga Buse Kızılay (26) is a Master’s student in Urban Environmental Management and part of the team of six Turkish students who are coordinating the bake sale. ‘I’m originally from Istanbul, which is far from the earthquake zone. But everyone knows people affected by the earthquake because it is a vast region, and there are a lot of losses. My dad’s best friends got out from under the rubble after one and a half days. It is very difficult to have to wait to hear from loved ones and not know if they are alright.’
During the one-and-a-half years she has lived in Wageningen, Kızılay only met one other Turkish student. ‘Some other communities in Wageningen are together more often, but for the Turkish students, that was less so. Until the earthquake, because since last Friday, I have gotten to know65 people who are helping us with the bake sale. Because of the tragedy, we got to know each other and other people in Wageningen with a Turkish background.’
Tradition
Getting together with food is a Turkish tradition, says Kızılay. ‘We want to share that with the Wageningen community through our bake sale. We hope that if people can talk with people directly affected by the earthquake, it makes more impact on them than a social media post. Also, the event is a way for Turkish students to get together as a community. It is difficult to be far from home while your home country is going through an enormous disaster. Turkey is a collectivist nation. It is easy to feel isolated and alone here if you don’t know other people going through this.’
The food of the bake sale will also be traditionally Turkish. ‘We will provide lunch and snacks. Stuffed wine leaves and börek, for example, plus things like baklava. There will be vegan, vegetarian and a few gluten-free options.’
Help
People who want to help earthquake victims do not have to wait until the bake sale next Wednesday says Kızılay. ‘The bake sale donations will go to AHBAP, which is an NGO for humanitarian aid; AFAD, governmental coordination for disaster management; and GIRO555.’
Do you want to get in touch with the team behind the bake sale? You can follow them on Instagram and Facebook or send an email to wurturkishsociety@gmail.com.
Resource would like to get in touch with employees and students who have close ties with the affected region and who want to share their personal story. Send an e-mail to our team or send a text to 06-38624705.
