€375,000 in grants support SMEs affected by earthquakes in Türkiye

The devastating earthquakes that struck the southeast provinces of Türkiye in February, not only caused loss of life and property but also disrupted the economic landscape of the region. SPARK’s DAHIL project, funded by the European Union, supported small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including those founded by refugees and Turkish entrepreneurs, to strengthen their financial resilience and foster economic activity.
The DAHIL project brought together Chambers of Commerce across southeastern Türkiye, from the cities of Gaziantep, Adana, Hatay and Şanlıurfa. By working together with these partners, SPARK was able to provide training to 450 SMEs to enhance their financial access, business skills training to 250 SMEs, as well as support the establishment of 40 new businesses. The DAHIL project also facilitated various cross-sector connections, enabling SMEs to participate in trade fairs and business-to-business (B2B) networking events, greatly improving the enterprises’ access to new markets and networks.

The earthquakes of February 6, 2023, brought unforeseen challenges as many businesses were destroyed, machinery became unusable and supply chains were severed. The migration of employees and customers to other cities further complicated the economic recovery efforts. The financial value of damage caused by the earthquakes is estimated to be up to $84 billion (USD), around 11% of the country’s GDP.
Recognising the urgency of the situation, SPARK collaborated with the Needs Map and the Regional Reconstruction and Development Center (RRDC), established within the Chambers of Commerce. Together, we have provided €375,000 in grant support to affected SMEs, helping them to return to their economic activities and create employment opportunities. The grant support is being distributed through RRDCs in Adana and Gaziantep, with the additional opening of two new RRDCs in these locations.
A total of 472 applications for financial support came from SMEs across four cities. Following a rigorous evaluation process and on-site visits to over 120 SMEs, a shortlist of 40 deserving businesses was compiled. The grants have been extended inclusively, without discrimination, to those who suffered the most significant losses in their businesses. Almost 70% of the grant-received businesses were from Hatay, the city that has been most affected by the earthquake.
“We are not just aiding in their [SMEs] recovery but also contributing to the broader reconstruction of the economic and social fabric of the earthquake-affected region and Türkiye as a whole,” said Quentin Tayfun Levet, Regional Programme Director (Middle East) at SPARK.
SPARK’s commitment to supporting job creation and entrepreneurship in Türkiye is exemplified by the success of the DAHIL programme. Moving forward, our unwavering commitment is to support SMEs in rebuilding and contributing to community resurgence, fostering resilience and sustainable economic development in the aftermath of earthquakes.
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