New family fund to prioritize women, youth in quake region: Erdoğan

ADIYAMAN

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced the prioritization of women and young people in the southern quake-hit region of Türkiye through a newly established fund aimed at "supporting the family institution and safeguarding young people against social risks."

The president made these remarks during a ceremony in Adıyaman, where 2,798 new homes were handed over to beneficiaries.

The fund, recently published in the country's official gazette, is designed to generate resources to fulfill its stated objectives.

"The priority of the work, whose applications will begin in the coming weeks, will be our women and young people in our cities in the earthquake zone," Erdoğan said in Adıyaman on Feb. 8.

During the ceremony, he pledged to deliver the remaining 32,000 houses currently under construction by the end of the year, ensuring that all beneficiaries would be settled into their homes and workplaces by the following year.

The endeavor, dubbed "Family and Youth Fund," offers marriage loans to eligible individuals. While the application process has not yet begun, the law specifies an interest-free loan of 150,000 Turkish Liras for young couples. The loan comes with a two-year grace period and a four-year repayment plan.

A deputy treasury and finance minister will chair the board of directors for the fund and consist of five additional members - deputy ministers of the ministries of family and social services, youth and sports, energy and natural resources, and industry and technology.

Board decisions will be made by majority vote, and the directors will have the authority to determine the projects to be funded, the amount of funds to be allocated and the spending programs.

The president's visit to Adıyaman is part of his tour of the region to commemorate the anniversary of last year's earthquakes, which claimed the lives of more than 53,000 people.

"Adıyaman was one of the cities that suffered the most from the Feb. 6 earthquakes," Erdoğan said.

According to assessments, a total of 45,305 beneficiaries were identified in Adıyaman, including those in need of housing, workplaces and agricultural facilities, he informed.

"There will be no other country in the world that can overcome such a great disaster in such a short time," he remarked.

Erdoğan affirmed a commitment to undertaking the "largest construction, reconstruction and restoration mobilization" in the country's history.