In Gaziantep, students affected by the earthquake attending İslahiye Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School managed to earn a revenue of 45 million TL in a year by producing office furniture, school desks, wooden toys, and other items at school. Following the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş on February 6, 2023, İslahiye Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Gaziantep’s İslahiye district, heavily damaged, was demolished.

Having 27 teachers and 380 students continuing their education at the prefabricated school in Fevziçakmak neighborhood, the school’s yard turned into a workshop after converting a carpet field to start producing furniture. The earthquake-affected students produce office furniture, school desks, wooden toys, while sending tables and cabinets to schools in the earthquake zone that need refurbishing. Mehmet Güven, the principal of İslahiye Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, stressed the priority of ensuring that graduating students are employed in their fields, stating that these students not only learn a profession but also financially support their families here.

Güven explained that they generated a revenue of 45 million TL from the productions carried out during the year 2024, and added the following: “Our school collapsed due to the heavy damage caused by the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş on February 6, 2023. Our school encompasses four different fields: Metal Technology, Furniture and Interior Design, Plumbing Technology and HVAC, and Chemistry Technology. We aim to train the intermediate workforce needed in the labor market through our school’s revolving fund business, producing materials needed by the market and especially schools in the aftermath of significant disasters. In line with the goals and objectives of our Ministry, we aim to educate the intermediate staff needed in the labor market in our school.”

“Our priority is to employ our graduating students in their respective fields. Our students learn, produce, and provide economic support for themselves and their families here. We converted our carpet field in the yard into a workshop post-earthquake to continue production. By producing the materials needed by schools as a result of the disaster in our region with our earthquake-affected students and teachers, we are healing our own wounds by ourselves. Operating under the slogan ‘Vocational school produces, our country benefits,’ we engage in production activities with teachers and students throughout the year. Through revolving funds, in 2024, we achieved a revenue of 45 million TL, contributing to the country’s economy.”