Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality has supported 2,300 families facing socioeconomic difficulties over the past year through its “Newborn Support Package”, launched as part of its social municipalism approach, providing assistance from the very first moments of birth.

The Department of Social Services continues its work with the aim of reaching people of all ages, from children to older residents, in order to strengthen networks of social solidarity. In line with the Municipality’s social municipalism policy, the Aid Services Branch Directorate has prepared special support packages for newborn babies.

As part of the Newborn Support Package Project, assessments found that newborn babies in low-income families, in particular, experienced difficulties in accessing basic necessities. The support packages prepared in response to this need are being delivered to families. Over the past year, the Social Services and Aid Services Branch Directorate has delivered free newborn support packages to 2,300 families.

What is included in the Newborn Support Package?

Prepared for babies aged 0–1 month, the support package includes essential items such as maternity hygiene pads for mothers, a hospital discharge set for babies, a blanket, nappies, shampoo, wet wipes and a thermometer.

Providing information about the project, Nihal Bozhan Özbek, Head of the Social Services and Aid Services Branch Directorate, said the birth of a baby brings responsibility as well as joy, adding that they believe every baby should start life under equal conditions. Özbek emphasised that the project is not only a form of social assistance, but also an act of solidarity.

‘Every baby has the right to an equal start in life’

Özbek stated that families who apply to the directorate for social assistance are visited at home and assessed by municipal teams. She said their field assessments showed that mothers who had recently given birth were experiencing difficulties in accessing basic necessities, and that the Municipality wanted to provide practical support in response to this need.

Expressing their belief that every newborn baby has the right to an equal start in life, Özbek noted that the project was developed particularly to make low-income families feel that they are not alone during this sensitive period.

‘We see every baby born in Amed as a value for this city’

Underlining that the project is not merely a social assistance initiative, but also a social solidarity project, Özbek said: “We see every baby born in Amed as a value for this city, and we want them to feel, from the very beginning of their lives, that we are there for them.”

2,300 families reached

Özbek stated that 2,300 families have received support under the project, which has been running for nearly a year. She noted that feedback from families has been positive and emphasised that the work will continue to expand.

Özbek said: “It has now been exactly one year since we launched this initiative. To date, we have reached 2,300 families, and this number is increasing day by day. The feedback we have received from families has been very positive. Knowing that we are there for them at the very beginning of the birth process, and receiving support through even these modest packages, helps them feel valued. This positive response has given us strong motivation. We will continue to provide this service.”

Residents welcome the support

Ferhat Göçlü, who benefited from the project, said they were pleased with the support provided: “We already had three children, and this is our fourth. We are very happy. We would like to thank the Metropolitan Municipality for the bag it provided, as it has contributed to us, even if modestly.”