Hitit realized its social responsibility project “Rackets Up” in the field of sports with children affected by the earthquake in Kahramanmaraş. Within the scope of the project, which aims to engage children in the healing power of sports through table tennis, a permanent table tennis area was established in Kahramanmaraş, Container City Expo 2023 is located. 550 children participated in the event. The project was carried out in cooperation with the Turkish Table Tennis Association. Children will receive table tennis training with the support of coaches throughout the summer.
26.06.2023 - Kahramanmaraş - Following the earthquake that caused deep sadness in our country in February, Hitit aimed to utilize the positive impact of sports, arts and games especially on children's recovery process. In this context, Hitit actualized its social responsibility project “Rackets Up” in earthquake zones and created a special permanent table tennis area in Container City Expo 2023 in Kahramanmaraş Onikişubat District. In the area, which has table tennis equipment, children interested in table tennis who want to meet a different branch of the sport can participate in a table tennis training program, with the coaching support, while events and tournaments will also be organized.
On 21 June, 550 children gathered at the “Rackets Up” event held in Container City Expo 2023 in the Onikisubat district of Kahramanmaraş. Accompanied by volunteers consisting of coaches and Hitit employees, children played table tennis and participated in fun activities organized for different age groups. “The Rackets Up” project, which will be run throughout the summer with a professional coach, will continue after the schools open.
Nevra Onursal Karaağaç, CMO at Hitit, stated: "After the earthquake, centred in Kahramanmaraş, which affected 11 provinces and caused great destruction, the wounds of the disaster are being steadily healed thanks to great national solidarity through Turkiye’s national relief effortAt Hitit, while being a part of this solidarity, we wanted to provide a more permanent and sustainable support to contribute to the children’s healing process in particular. Based on the healing power of sports, we wanted to bring together the “Rackets Up” with children affected by the earthquake. We have been running “Rackets Up” in partnership with the Turkish Table Tennis Federation for four years and which has reached thousands of children and young people. Table tennis is a sport that has positive effects on the mental and physical development of children and it can be easily practiced at any age and in any location. We hope that our community-focused sports support initiative, which we started in Kahramanmaraş, will make a small contribution to the children overcoming their difficult healing process after the earthquake. We will continue to expand “Rackets Up”, which has benefited more than 140,000 children in different provinces of Türkiye so far, to those provinces affected directly by the earthquake."