Visit to the Turkey-Syria Earthquake Recovery Site – Day 2
A School That Gives Hope and Courage (2)
On August 28, 2024, Venerable Pomnyun and the JTS activists visited and toured the site where JTS is rebuilding schools that were destroyed by the Turkey earthquake.
After having breakfast at the accommodation, they left for the earthquake-affected areas in Turkey at 7 AM.
As they got closer to the earthquake disaster site, they saw many areas that had not been restored and remained in the same state, even though it had been a year since the disaster.
After driving for three hours, they arrived at the construction site of the school at 10:20 AM. When Venerable Pomnyun got out of the car, White Helmets volunteers warmly welcomed him.
“Nice to meet you.”
After taking a group photo, they began to tour the newly constructed school.
When Venerable Pomnyun first visited the earthquake-stricken area, the school had completely collapsed and was an eyesore. But today, a beautiful new building painted in pastel colors stood tall. This school is being rebuilt as part of the Turkey Earthquake Recovery Project, a collaboration between JTS and the White Helmets.
The architect first showed the floor plans of the school, explaining, “Here are the classrooms, the administrative office, and the restrooms,” as he described the layout of the school facilities.
Venerable Pomnyun toured the interior of the school with the activists, personally inspecting the ongoing construction of the classrooms, meeting rooms, and the teachers’ office.
The school was designed with a bomb shelter in the basement to be used as an emergency evacuation space, and thorough safety measures have been put in place to prepare for various situations. After hearing the explanation, Venerable Pomnyun emphasized, “Emergency measures must be in place to ensure safe evacuation in disaster situations such as fires or earthquakes.”
Venerable Pomnyun carefully toured the entire building, from the first floor to the roof. He showed particular concern for the safety of the school facilities. As he checked the emergency evacuation routes and fire safety installations, he said, “There must be enough emergency staircases and exits to ensure that students can quickly evacuate in case of a fire or earthquake.” Thanks to Venerable Pomnyun’s repeated emphasis, the White Helmets activists were reminded once again of the importance of thorough preparedness for the school’s safety issues.
While touring the facilities, they also discussed the size and layout of the classrooms.
“Is this a classroom? Isn’t it too small?”
When Venerable Pomnyun expressed concern about the classroom being designed too small, the architect responded.
“The classroom has been designed to accommodate around 30 students, and we have made efforts to ensure that the students can study as comfortably as possible.”
After spending an hour thoroughly inspecting the inside and outside of the school, the White Helmets volunteers expressed their gratitude to Venerable Pomnyun.
“Thank you so much for building the school. The children have suffered greatly due to the war and earthquake, and many of them have not been able to receive an education, but thanks to you, many children are now able to study. We are truly grateful.”
Venerable Pomnyun responded.
“I am very glad that an environment has been created where children can receive education again.”
At 11:20 AM, a meeting was held at the school office with the White Helmets volunteers to discuss the earthquake recovery situation and future directions. The first thing was to express gratitude for the hard work of the White Helmets volunteers.
“Everyone, you’ve really worked hard to build this building. I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude.”
Venerable Pomnyun emphasized the safety and quality of the school construction.
“Don’t rush to meet the completion date. It’s more important to build the building safely, so if necessary, the completion date can be postponed. I’ll adjust my schedule and come back, so please don’t rush.”
As the discussion about the progress of the school construction continued, Venerable Pomnyun suggested creating a memorial space.
“This school is a place where many students and teachers lost their lives due to the earthquake. I think it would be good to set up a memorial monument to honor their sacrifice and create a space where we can remember them.”
Everyone agreed wholeheartedly to Venerable Pomnyun’s suggestion, and the group began discussing where would be the most appropriate place to install the memorial.
“How about installing the memorial next to the school sign? It would be great to engrave the history of how this school was rebuilt on the monument as well.”
The White Helmets activists all shared the hope that the rebuilding of the school would become a symbolic place that goes beyond just construction, offering hope to the local community and students.
Venerable Pomnyun also discussed the issue of space utilization in the school.
“The building is being constructed tightly on the limited land, so it seems like there is no empty space in the school. The playground is too small, and it looks insufficient for 4,000 children to play in.”
The activists informed that they are working to utilize the empty lot next to the school and are in negotiations with the landowners.
Thanks to JTS’s support and the efforts of the White Helmets, a new school building for 4,000 students has been constructed. However, there are still one million children in the refugee camps who are not receiving education. To address the education issue quickly, Venerable Pomnyun proposed the introduction of an online education system.
“Regular classes will be held at this school, and they will be broadcast through an online system. Then, within the refugee camps, we could set up simple tent schools to conduct online classes. This way, even if there is a shortage of teachers, many children will still be able to receive education. We cannot afford to let children miss their time to learn.”
The White Helmets volunteers all agreed with Venerable Pomnyun’s suggestion and responded affirmatively.
“Venerable Pomnyun’s suggestion is really great. However, infrastructure needs to be built. We will look into establishing the necessary infrastructure to make online classes possible.”
During the conversation, I could see how much responsibility they felt for the community and their strong determination to solve the education problem. Venerable Pomnyun encouraged the White Helmets activists once again.
“Let’s give confidence and hope to those who have been devastated by the earthquake and war.”
The white helmets the activists had taken off looked proud and dignified.
After finishing the school visit and saying farewell to the construction officials, we moved to the clothing factory operated by the White Helmets.
We drove for two hours. During the drive, we had lunch with the packed meal prepared by the White Helmets activists.
As we drove on the unpaved road, the car kept jolting. The driver apologized and said,
“Venerable Pomnyun, the ride must be very uncomfortable for you.”
Ven. Pomnyun smiled and replied.
“No, it’s fine. Look at the people riding in the trucks ahead. I usually travel like that when I come to remote areas. This is actually very good.
Outside the car window, refugee camps continued to appear.
“Since people can’t even get medical treatment and there’s a shortage of drinking water, the concern of children’s education is bound to take a backseat.”
Venerable Pomnyun had often talked about the importance of children’s education, but he also knew that the reality was far from easy.
We arrived at the clothing factory operated by the White Helmets at 1:50 PM. With the guidance of the factory manager, we reviewed the overall operations and activities.
At the factory, various products were produced to aid recovery from the major earthquake and support the community’s self-sufficiency. As Venerable Pomnyun toured the factory, he expressed admiration for the diverse production activities.
“They’re making various products themselves and handling all sorts of tasks in a comprehensive way.”
At the factory, several types of clothing were being produced, including school uniforms. Venerable Pomnyun showed a great deal of interest in the process of making the uniforms.
“Do the female students wear pants as well?”
“Yes.”
The school uniforms for the male students were also made sturdy and well-crafted.
“I could wear these pants myself. The color is really nice too.”
The factory manager emphasized the automated system and the efficient production process.
“Here, once the design is done on the computer, we can produce it quickly. Everything will be ready by the day of the opening ceremony. The school uniforms are already finished.”
We briefly discussed whether it would be better to distribute the uniforms to the 4,000 students on the day of the opening ceremony or to hand them out in advance.
After touring the entire factory, Venerable Pomnyun encouraged the activists working there.
“The school uniforms and products produced in this factory will be a great help to the students. Please make sure they can study comfortably at school.”
Venerable Pomnyun highly praised the White Helmets activists for their various contributions to the community after the earthquake and concluded the factory visit.
He then moved to the factory office and had a meeting with the factory management. The discussions covered a variety of topics, including the factory’s operational methods, energy usage, and future construction plans. Notably, the White Helmets factory was operating with a clean energy system powered by solar energy.
“Here, is there no regular electricity, and do you only use solar energy?”
“Currently, the use of regular electricity is decreasing, and our goal this year is to switch entirely to solar energy.”
“It seems that using more solar energy will be crucial for energy independence.”
Venerable Pomnyun highly praised the independent energy system. While explaining the factory’s various business areas, Venerable Pomnyun asked another question.
“There is a huge demand for construction. Why don’t you create your own construction company?”
“Running a construction company could lead to transparency issues and misunderstandings, so we are being cautious. Currently, we entrust the construction work to external companies through bidding.”
“I completely understand. Nonetheless, it might be a good idea to consider a more independent approach in the future.”
Additionally, the factory was producing various items such as masks and clothing. Venerable Pomnyun emphasized that the products being made at the factory would be of great help to the local community and asked the staff to ensure that they were safe and comfortable for use.
As there was a report about tight construction schedules, during the meeting, Venerable Pomnyun made a suggestion regarding the date for the school’s opening ceremony.
“Rushing the opening ceremony when the construction is not fully finished is not a good idea. It would be great if we can hold the ceremony on October 9th, but if that’s not possible, it would be fine to postpone it for about a month.”
However, the White Helmets activists expressed confidence that all the construction work would be completed by October 9th. After the meeting, Venerable Pomnyun expressed his gratitude to the factory staff.
“Please do your best. We are here to give hope to the local community and the students.”
Then, starting at 3 PM, we moved to the White Helmets office and had a meeting with the representative of the White Helmets.
We discussed the progress of the school construction, future plans, and the construction schedule. First, Venerable Pomnyun expressed his concerns.
“Given the current progress of the construction, it seems there might be insufficient time to complete everything before the opening ceremony. I understand that a delay in the ceremony could affect the students’ learning progress, but I believe the safety of the building is a crucial factor. Safety measures, such as proper fencing, must also be fully in place. We should all be cautious to avoid any shoddy work due to rushing the construction. If the work needs to be expedited, thorough supervision and management are essential. After the construction is completed, it is important to ensure everything is properly finished to avoid any issues later on.”
In response, the White Helmets assured that safety was their top priority.
“If we delay the school opening ceremony, it could cause educational confusion, as the students’ progress will fall behind compared to other schools. We will do our best to hold the ceremony on the scheduled date. We will deploy additional White Helmets members and new personnel to complete the construction. Rest assured, all our staff prioritize quality and safety above all else.”
Venerable Pomnyun expressed his gratitude once again.
“Let’s discuss the opening ceremony date again. Thank you for your hard work. Let’s work together to complete this school and give hope to the children.”
Afterward, everyone took a commemorative photo, and the meeting concluded.
After completing the tour of the earthquake recovery sites, we headed back to the accommodation. The wide fields were a stunning sight, filled with olive trees planted closely together.
As we were returning to the accommodation, the sun set.
Today, Venerable Pomnyun devoted all his efforts to bringing hope and courage to those affected by war and the earthquake. May his presence be a great source of strength for the residents suffering from the disaster and ongoing conflict.
This article was edited based on a manuscript provided by the “A Day in the Life of a Monk” team.
