The Easton brothers visited a “no travel” zone in Türkiye to help orphans after the earthquake

Last summer, Easton High School students Haktan and Enes Özyildiz hiked through temperatures so hot that extreme trail residue was melting on their shoes.

Although the journey was difficult, they had one goal in mind: to help orphaned children and families. Families in Kilis, Türkiye, needed help after earthquakes destroyed their homes.

The twin brothers are co-founders of E&H Hopeful Hearts, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing assistance to children orphaned by earthquakes in Türkiye.

Haktan said his father grew up in Kilis where the boys put in their efforts.

“He lost his father at a young age,” he added. “So we just wanted to help the orphans there.”

He immigrated to the United States in 2000. Haktan and Anis were born and raised in Somerset County, New Jersey, and moved to Easton two years ago.

Before creating the organization, the brothers raised money through a car detailing business, and donated funds to children in Türkiye.

Haktan and Enis Özyildiz (Central and Red Jackets), two seniors at an Easton-area high school, visited Türkiye to help children orphaned by the earthquakes. Courtesy of Haktan and Enes Özeldiz

They launched E&H Hopeful Hearts last year. They raised $2,250 through a GoFundMe campaign, raffles, car washes and email marketing, Haktan said.

After months of planning, Haktan, Anis and their parents traveled to Kilis last summer. This was the first time they had visited in 10 years.

According to the US State Department, Türkiye has a Level 2 travel warning where travelers should exercise extra caution. Areas within six miles of the Syrian border, such as Kilis, are a “no travel” zone due to terrorism.

Türkiye is considered an earthquake-prone area because it lies on several tectonic plates. The magnitude of the earthquakes that occurred in February 2023 ranged from 7.5 to 7.8 degrees.

Despite the risks associated with traveling to this region, Haktan and Anis were committed to their cause.

Photo of damage caused by the earthquake in Kilis, Türkiye. Courtesy of Haktan and Enes Özeldiz

Upon their arrival, the Ozyildiz brothers teamed up with the local Turkish organization Kizilay, also known as the Turkish Red Crescent. The brothers led a team of 15 volunteers, which included a mix of local volunteers and some of their father's friends and family members who came to support the mission.

In Türkiye, they bought clothes, shoes and food. They then collected a list of names and addresses of recipients of donations from Kizilay.

Together with two Kizilay volunteers and 15 other volunteers, the brothers donated to about 103 children orphaned by the disaster. Ennis said the distribution process was physically demanding, as they were going through extreme heat and damage caused by the earthquake.

A truckload of supplies was donated to children and families in Kilis, Türkiye, including food and clothing. Courtesy of Haktan and Enes Özeldiz

Ennis said the supplies, which included a week's worth of food rations, were heavy. In some areas, their trucks could not reach the families, so they had to walk long distances.

“It was so hot, the tar on the road was melting, and it was seeping into my shoes,” Ennis said.

He said he and Haktan had to change their shoes several times.

During their visit, they devoted a day to distributing food to stray animals.

While in Türkiye, Haktan and Enes Özyildiz helped stray animals by donating to orphaned children. Courtesy of Haktan and Enes Özeldiz

In addition to the 103 children, the brothers noticed children who were not on their aid list but were watching the deliveries from a distance.

“We decided to make a box of just chocolate and milk to give to these kids,” Ennis said.

Haktan said that the families who received the aid were greatly appreciated, especially since most families lost one or both of their parents.

“It makes us grateful for what we have here,” Ennis said.

The brotherhood's nonprofit work is far from over. As winter approaches, they are raising money to buy jackets, blankets and scarves to donate to more than 100 children.

They plan to continue their efforts next summer, hoping to return to Türkiye to help other affected areas. They are also thinking of visiting Syria to help children there.

Photo of damage caused by the earthquake in Kilis, Türkiye. Courtesy of Haktan and Enes Özyildiz

This is not the only time Haktan and Anis have given back to the community. They founded another organization called Red Poppies for Veterans, which raises money and awareness for the needs of veterans. They join similar clubs at school and enjoy participating in them.

They are both seniors at Easton Area High School and each want to attend a four-year college after graduation. Haktan plans to study business and finance, and Ennis wants to pursue biology and computer science.

They both plan to continue E&H Hopeful Hearts after high school.

“We want to continue the nonprofit [through college] “And even create a 501(c)3, and maybe, whatever colleges we go to, even create a similar organization there,” Haktan said.

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The brothers thoroughly enjoy their charitable work, and encourage other young people to pursue similar causes. Haktan encourages other young people to help a cause that deeply affects them.

“If someone feels like something is not right, they should take action and move forward with it,” Ennis said.

Chelsea Kuhn can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram at @chelsealehighvalley.

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