AMURT and AMURTEL volunteers worked in the earthquake stricken provinces of Turkey since hours after the quake hit Turkey's northwestern provinces in 1999.

AMURT Turkey in cooperation with the Turkish Psychological Association ran a community center in the Hacimet Valley Camp near the Western town of Yalova. The Centre, which has since been handed over to local volunteer groups, provides care to the earthquake survivors and offers counseling, day care and literacy classes.

AMURT and AMURTEL volunteers  initially  worked together with international rescue experts in the search and excavation of victims trapped in the rubble of fallen buildings in the towns of Safran, Haci Mehmet Bey and Yalova. They also distributed food,  medicines and arranged sanitary facilities and other supplies in Halkali and Sefakoy areas of Istanbul as well as the town of Golcuk.

Read the Volunteer Notes for a first-hand  description of the programs.

Earthquake victims display their diplomas after finishing an AMURT literacy course


  AMURT counseled camp children 


  AMURT team during initial rescue