Two Kurdish women who live in Denmark, one cardiologist and one nurse, started an initiative in fall which they called “Kurdiske læger og sygeplejersker initiativet” (Kurdish doctors and nurses initiative) and aimed to send modern medical equipment to hospitals in Rojava Kurdistan. As they are practitioners of medicine themselves, they know how dire results can come out of a lack of equipment. Cardiologist Zeynep Binici Çetinkaya and Specialist Nurse Gül Özcan conducted a pre-research on the matter and thought long and hard about what they could do for the hospitals in Rojava.

“I COULDN’T TAKE WHAT I SAW”

The two women spoke to ANF and gave information on their efforts.

Talking about the process that led to the idea of the initiative, Cardiologist Zeynep Binici Çetinkaya said, “During those days when Kobanê was suffering, I couldn’t take the pain of what I saw while I sat at home, what I witnessed, and the massacres imposed upon my people anymore. I felt the need to stop this, I felt the need to do something.”

Zeynep Binici Çetinkaya continued: “I moved from what we can do for our wounded people in this most critical time of the Kurdish people and I started gathering medical equipment. I had the chance to talk in length to our politician, Adem Uzun who attended a people’s meeting in Denmark at the time. His suggestions helped a lot in forming the initiative. I met Gül around this time also. As a conscious patriot and a medical professional, she supported the initiative idea and we started working. Spokesperson for the Rojava Committee in Denmark and general coordinator for the November 1 World Kobanê Day activist Necati Harmankaya heled us a lot. He both advised us in the initiative’s efforts and made sure we were included in the “Rojava days” programme so we could actualize the auction idea we had.

We put artworks we had to auction. Also, many Kurdish employers and business owners supported us as sponsors.

“EVERYBODY TOOK A PART IN SUPPORTING US”

Specialist Nurse Gül Özcan pointed out he was an active member of the Kurdish Women’s Association in Denmark before this project too, and said: “I spoke to the doctors and nurses I knew and invited them to our meetings, and thus we took the first step. There was a good turnout at the meeting, and the interest grew. We assigned duties in the group and as a result, it was decided that Zeynep and I lead this project.”

Özcan said they asked artists to donate works as well and they received positive responses and continued: “Definitely, everybody was very conscious. A lot of people contacted us over the social media accounts we opened for the project and they donated things. We didn’t have any trouble and nobody said no. Everybody came to us with the voice of their beautiful hearts and helped us.”

Çetinkaya thanked the supporters and said: “What’s important to us is to give the equipment donated by Danish hospitals and the ultrasound machines we are buying to our people ourselves. Our efforts continue. Even if it’s a small spark, we started this journey so we may be of help to our grieving people. It was a good start for us, we are aiming to extend our efforts in the future and found an association for Kurdish doctors and nurses in Denmark.”

“WE ARE WAITING FOR THE DELIVERY DAY”

Özcan concluded with the following: “We heard that they need an ultrasound device. We decided to get two of them. In the meantime, we had some 10 devices, equipment that measure blood pressure, pulse and blood oxygen levels. These are donated from Danish hospitals. We have appealed with several places, we send e-mails and are trying to get second hand or demo models, underused ultrasound devices. We are excited for the day we will take on the road to deliver the equipment.”