The young man who lost his family and arm in the earthquake left the library he went to read books with hope for a home

HATAY (İHA) – Health worker Havva Aydanur Ertuğrul, who took on the duty of saving citizens under the rubble during the earthquake process in Hatay, has started working to build a new home for Salih, who lost his family and arm in the disaster of the century. The warm home story that started in the library between health worker Havva and Salih is turning into reality with determination.
Kahramanmaraş-based earthquakes had devastated Hatay, and nearly 25 thousand people had lost their lives. From the early hours of the disaster, rescue teams and healthcare workers from all over Turkey rushed to the region to help. Emergency Medical Technician Havva Aydanur Ertuğrul, 38 years old, working at Antalya Provincial Health Directorate, has been struggling to help the earthquake victims in the region since the early hours of the century’s disaster. Health worker Ertuğrul, through the association she founded called ‘Ülkem Kitap Okuyor Derneği’ (My Country Reads Books Association), opened 21 tent schools and libraries in the disaster area, and made many citizens homeowners through her own efforts. This time, health worker Havva rolled up her sleeves for Salih Ersöz, who lost his mother, father, 2 siblings, and right arm in the earthquake. The warm home story that started with conversations in the library between Salih and Havva took its first step with effort and determination. Health worker Havva, seeking support for the completion of Salih’s house, aims to fulfill the dreams of the earthquake victim by building his 4th house in the area.
Havva Aydanur Ertuğrul, stating that they have built 3 houses since the earthquake, said, ‘I came to Hatay as a health worker on the first day of the earthquake. First, we ensured the opening of tent schools and libraries, then we decided to build houses for our scholarship students. We have built 3 houses before. We opened 21 schools and 21 libraries. We had built the other houses on individuals’ own land. We built houses for those who had land but did not have the means to build. This time, our child who lost his mother, father, and siblings in the earthquake does not have land. This time we are looking for both land and budget to build a house. We had opened a library in the container city where Salih lived. When Salih came to read books at the library, we contacted him. The container management told us about Salih’s story, at that time we were planning to build our 4th house, so we said let’s embrace Salih this time.’
Salih Ersöz, who expressed that he lost his family and right arm in the earthquake, stated that they met Health worker Havva at the library, ‘I was asleep at that time during the earthquake on February 6. My father woke me up, brought me next to the door. Then my father went to get my siblings. My mother was in the kitchen at that time. I got out of the rubble on the 2nd day of the earthquake, while my family got out on the 10th day of the earthquake. I lost my mother, father, and 2 siblings in the earthquake. My arm got stuck and was cut off during the earthquake. I went to the library to read books, and that’s where I met Havva sister. She will build the 4th house for me,’ he said.