WATER IS NOT WASTE, LET IT FLOW INTO THE FUTURE

Due to the strategic importance of its geography and being an industrialized city, Gaziantep receives intense internal and external migration. According to the data of the Ministry of Interior, General Directorate of Migration Management, Gaziantep is among the top 10 provinces where Syrians live the most. There are more than 500 thousand Syrians in our province. According to Gaziantep City Council data, the existing water reserves, which are predicted to be sufficient in 2025 projections of Gaziantep, will no longer be sufficient. Gaziantep has started to experience water stress since 2014. In addition, issues such as the collection and disposal of waste water and the inefficient use of resources are also on the agenda. As a matter of fact, as a result of the interviews with the subscriber businesses within the body of GASKİ, it was determined that the water consumption of the Syrians who came from abroad is 3-4 times higher than the citizens, and that they do not have a water saving awareness because they do not pay water bills while living in their country. It has been stated by them that they wash the ceiling, walls, doors and windows, stairs with water during house cleaning and leave the water open in order to avoid odor in the WC. As a result of this use, they cannot pay the high water bill and are subject to enforcement proceedings. However, since they work informally, they do not have official payrolls, assets or savings in Turkish banks, so their water debts cannot be collected. Subscribers with sealed water meters break the seal and use it again, and then move from their current address to another address. When they move to the new address, they get a new subscription. Since GASKİ is a new address, it gives water subscription. In this way, GASKİ is experiencing difficulties because it gives consent to new subscriptions from which it cannot collect water. As a result of the negotiations with the Manager of the Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Advanced Biological Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is normally planned to be built in 2023, where approximately 1/5 of the population of Gaziantep consists of Syrian refugees, is due to the rapid population growth of 2020! has been reported to have been completed and commissioned. The increase in the use and need of water with the uncontrolled increasing population and the fact that the need cannot be met is an important problem that creates water stress. In the face of this problem, it has become necessary to create a special sensitivity awareness about the use of the resources that GASKİ offers to those who benefit from drinking and potable water services at a minimum and without wastage. On the other hand, the necessity of uniting people who share the geography of the country in a common understanding in the use of water resources and knowing the value of water is one of the most important starting points of our project. For these reasons, we aim to provide an innovative, useful, expandable, sustainable, exemplary adult education about knowing the value of water and using it without waste. In our project, our target audience is Syrian adults, especially those who come to our country and city from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, as well as adults who come internally and live in rural areas.
Our project includes objectives and activities aimed at "to provide people with the necessary understanding and skills to create sustainable societies, lifestyles and economies" under the "Green Agenda" title among the 2021-2027 Erasmus+ Program priorities. Again, the target defined within the scope of the priorities of the same program "Inclusive Erasmus", "to reach people of different ages and from different cultural, social and economic backgrounds, to focus on those with fewer opportunities, including those with educational difficulties or a migrant background, as well as those living in rural and remote areas". will reach the audience. Considering the hearing impaired participants in the multiplier event, one of our project activities, a sign language trainer will be provided here, thus increasing the inclusiveness of our project.