Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş commented on the Family and Youth Bank: "Inshallah, the Ministry will launch the project, and as a pilot project, we will start with the provinces in the earthquake region. I hope that our brothers and youth of Nurdağlı will be among the first to benefit from the Family and Youth Bank."

At the opening ceremony of the Child and Family Center built in Nurdağı district of Gaziantep with the support of the Mother Child Education Foundation (AÇEV) and the Vodafon Foundation of Türkiye, Minister Göktaş noted that 9 months had passed since the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, the disaster of the century, and that the government continued to work for the region with all its might.

Explaining that the President of the Republic of Türkiye, H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the ministers and presidents did not leave the earthquake zone deserted, Göktaş said that the government had always stood by the citizens with social aids and psycho-social support and that it would continue to do so.

Göktaş stating that 364 colleagues were always on duty in Gaziantep, stated as follows:

"TOKI undertook the construction of more than 30.000 houses and more than 8.000 village houses to replace the destroyed and damaged buildings. As the Ministry of Family and Social Services, we have offered an allowance close to 106 million TL to the citizens affected by the earthquake. Nurdağı is one of the most affected parts of the earthquake zone. As the Ministry of Family and Social Services, we are always on the field, always with you, always by your side, with all expert teams to close the wounds opened in hearts by the disaster. We considered it our duty to ensure the peace of every citizen living here, especially the children."

"We have worked side by side."

Minister Göktaş stated that the Ministry attached importance to the support of civil society organizations in order to provide more qualified services, and continued her words as follows:

"In the process, we have worked side by side with the personnel of the Ministry as well as approximately 2000 personnel of civil society organizations. We continue to work. Today, we are happy to launch one of the countless activities carried out by AÇEV, Mother Child Education Foundation, in the earthquake zone. AÇEV has provided many services to the region since February 6, including emergency humanitarian aid and psycho-social support. In the aftermath of the disaster of the century, it has strengthened us all to see AÇEV and various civil society organizations alongside us in every service provided for the mothers and children. We see that when the government and civil society organizations work together, better things emerge, and as we work hand in hand and heart to heart, we see that we really reach the real needs of citizens and respond to their real needs. Indeed, this example is one of them."

 "We are not forgetting the children of Gaza either"

"Not only in the country, children from all over the world are a sensitive issue for us," said Minister Göktaş and continued as follows:

"As the Ministry, we mobilize all means to provide physical and psycho-social support to children, young persons and the mothers. We renew services and increase activities every day to ensure that mothers and children take their place in the society as happy, healthy and self-confident individuals. Children from all over the world, not just in the country, are a sensitive point. We do not forget the children of Gaza who have been subjected to the most painful genocide of the century. I would like to express once again that we are always ready to stand by them. As you know, the governement has recently made a request under the leadership and auspices of the esteemed First Lady, the wife of the President of the Republic of Türkiye H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Emine Erdoğan to provide transportation and temporary shelter to children who have been injured in Gaza and who have lost their parents. The technical team has also been formed in this regard. We are closely following the work we will hopefully carry out with our Palestinian counterpart on the subject. Those children are precious to us."

"It will also be a lifeline for young minds and families"

Pointing out that the Ministry was also developing policies on issues concerning humanity and the future and taking steps to realize them, Göktaş said:

"As you know, we have had a project titled the Family and Youth Bank. It has been a promise of the President of the Republic of Türkiye H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the election period. Inshallah, we will realize the project and as a pilot project, we will start with the provinces in the earthquake zone. I hope that our brothers and youth of Nurdağlı will be among the first to benefit from the Family and Youth Bank." We will offer interest-free loans to young persons who will take the first step towards starting a family. The Family and Youth Bank, which is also highly valued by the President of the Republic of Türkiye H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been presented to the Parliament and submitted for signature. We will soon put it into practice and ensure that the young persons here benefit from it. Thus, we will strengthen the family institution entirely with its domestic means. It will also be a lifeline for young generations and families."

Following the launch, Minister Göktaş and members of the protocol toured the center. Göktaş took a close interest in the children there.

Minister Göktaş made various visits

After the launch, Minister Göktaş visited the Gaziantep Governorship and received information about the activities in the region from Governor Kemal Çeber.

During the visit, Governor Çeber of Gaziantep and Ayşegül Yıldırım Kara, Director General of Children's Services signed the "Cooperation Protocol on the Construction of Children's Homes Site Buildings in cooperation with the Ministry of Family and Social Services and Gaziantep Development Foundation (GAGEV)".

Minister Göktaş then visited the Mayor of Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Fatma Şahin in her office.

Göktaş, who also met with party members at the AK Parti Provincial Directorate of Gaziantep, visited the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality's Barrier-Free Living Center and Family Academy. After receiving information from the authorities, Minister Göktaş attended a music concert by persons with disabilities at the Barrier-Free Living Center.

Göktaş visited the workshops in the center and chatted with the children for a while. Minister Göktaş also inspected the houses completed by the Municipality of Şahinbey in Mavikent neighborhood of Şahinbey district.