02.11.2026 09:43
Mümtaz Gövce, who lost his wife Sena and daughters Ece Birce and Elif Eylül in the Elit Apartment in Antakya during the February 6 earthquakes, increased the number of classrooms he opened in Hatay through the 6 Zero 2 Association he founded to 15. The mind and intelligence games classroom opened at Büyükçat Primary School in Defne was named after the siblings Nazar, Endam, and Salih Nisan, who lost their lives together with their mother in the earthquake.
Mümtaz Gövce, who lost his wife and two daughters in the February 6 earthquakes in Hatay, continues to be a source of hope for the future of earthquake-affected children through the association he founded. Gövce recently named the mind and intelligence games classroom he opened in Defne district after three siblings who lost their lives together with their mother in the earthquake.
HE LOST HIS FAMILY IN THE ELIT APARTMENT BUILDING
Mümtaz Gövce, who lost his wife Sena and daughters Ece Birce, 6, and Elif Eylül, 10, in the Elit Apartment Building that collapsed in Antakya during the February 6, 2023 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, founded the 6 Zero 2 Children's Rights and Disaster Response Association in March 2024 to support earthquake-affected children. The association, which moved its work from meeting the basic needs of earthquake-affected children to the field of education, continues the construction of 5 educational facilities in Hatay under a protocol with the Ministry of National Education. To date, the association has opened 14 classrooms in different districts for mind and intelligence games and library areas, and most recently made its 15th classroom available to children at Büyükçat Primary School in Büyükçat Neighborhood of Defne district. The classroom was named after the siblings Nazar, Endam, and Salih Nisan, who lost their lives together with their mother in the earthquake.
CLASSROOM IN MEMORY OF CHILDREN WHO DIED IN THE EARTHQUAKE
Stating that education is at the center of the association's work, Mümtaz Gövce said, "We are an association founded in Hatay after the earthquake. Education is at the center of our work. Therefore, while our school construction continues on the one hand, we carry out projects that will contribute to children's education on the other. The classroom we are opening here today is the 15th classroom we have implemented since the association was founded. We had opened 14 classrooms in various districts of Hatay. Today we are putting the 15th into service. We prepared this classroom to keep alive the memory of our children who lost their lives in the earthquake. We want to keep their names and memories alive. Because children are the future of our country. Whatever we can give to children, who are our future, and however much we can invest in their development, we will have achieved that much more important a gain for our country. That is why we focused on education work. As you can see, we carry out all the installation work of the classroom with our own team. We do not receive outside services by contracting with any company. Our team also does this work with love. In this way, we try to support our children's education."
IF ONLY NO CHILD HAD LOST THEIR LIFE
Expressing that keeping alive the names of children who lost their lives in the earthquake in educational institutions is a bittersweet joy for them, Gövce said, "We are at the school in Büyükçat Neighborhood of Defne district. We had previously provided a classroom at this school for our children with special educational needs. Today, in line with the school's needs, we opened the mind and intelligence games classroom. We want our children to improve themselves in these games, participate in competitions, and gain new skills that will contribute to their future. As 6 Zero 2, since the day we were founded, we have been trying to contribute to children's education. Our projects in the field of education will continue at full speed. Our only wish is that no more children lose their lives. Naming classrooms after our children who lost their lives is a bittersweet joy for us. If only no child had lost their life, and we did not have to hold such openings to keep their memory alive. For families, this joy is also a bittersweet happiness. No family wants to lose their child. However, in this process there are many things we can do to keep their memories alive. These classrooms are one of them. We believe that with a more modern, better-educated, and more conscious society, we can prevent the pain and loss of life that may be experienced in the future. I am glad we set out on such a path. I am glad we are continuing these efforts together with our team, our families, and the people who support us."