The core objective of implementing this project was to contribute to a resilient, organized, and cooperative civil society in the face of disasters and to create adult education content on this topic. To this end, we focused on the roles of NGOs in pre-disaster preparedness processes. We carried out activities aimed at better understanding the field, producing field-specific information content, and developing advocacy perspectives. We developed an approach that enabled project partner organizations to incorporate their different areas of expertise into the process. We also sought to promote digitalization and adherence to sustainable environmental principles in these processes. We aimed to contribute to the priority identified in the project: "Increasing participation in adult education, improving inclusivity and accessibility." We enabled project partners to share their expertise with each other and expand their spheres of influence. In the project, we aimed to strengthen the education component, which plays a crucial role in disaster preparedness processes. With a participatory approach to the two main outputs, we ensured that experts and field NGOs reflected their experiences.
On February 2023, Turkey experienced devastating earthquakes that resulted in significant loss of life and property, with effects felt across a wide geographical area. These disasters, impacting 11 provinces in Turkey and causing casualties in Syria as well, saw international aid begin to arrive in the region from the first day. Alongside state actors, NGOs also channeled support, including search and rescue efforts, humanitarian aid, and healthcare services, to the affected areas. Following these earthquakes, the focus of NGOs shifted towards capacity building in disaster preparedness. This project aimed to strengthen the partnership capacities of NGOs, particularly project partners, to enable them to actively participate in disaster preparedness, focus on innovative ideas and practices, create a platform for experience sharing, influence disaster-related policies, and develop content in the field of adult education. Within this framework, a Policy Document was created with an approach to influencing disaster-related policies, and a handbook for adult education was prepared. A participatory approach was adopted in the creation of the content. These contents contributed to the capacity development of NGOs, especially the partners.