Nearly 57,000 people lost their lives in the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria in February. The number of injured far surpassed 100,000, hundreds of thousands of buildings were destroyed, and countless homes are still at risk of collapse. As they lived through the winter in these desperate straits, the survivors needed almost everything: warm clothing, food, drinking water, baby formula, medicines, sleeping bags and personal hygiene items.
Anja Tunjic, a Learning & Development expert at the Freudenberg Sealing Technologies (FST) Academy, was deeply moved by the victims’ suffering. In some cases, the families of FST employees in Turkey were affected. So were relatives of staff with Turkish roots that FST employs outside the country. Within days, Tunjic organized massive relief aid for the region with the help of colleagues in Bursa, Istanbul and Weinheim, even coordinating the logistics.
There was great interest in donating time and money among employees at FST and other Freudenberg companies. This included help with picking up and packaging the items. “It was touching to even see people with very little bringing things to the collection point to help,” Tunjic said. No less than 5 tons of relief supplies were collected and shipped to survivors in the earthquake-stricken areas. Everything was well packaged in maritime shipping boxes, which not only protected the goods from moisture but could later be used as tables.
“In times of crisis, we have to help people who are having a hard time,” Tunjic summed up. “Campaigns like this bring people in the company together – even across borders.” Together with her brother, she is also socially committed in her personal life, collecting toys for kindergartens or for children from disadvantaged families. “It runs in the family. For example, my grandmother is always knitting scarves and socks for the homeless,” she said.
