Turkey: Free GPS trackers offered to vulnerable individuals

Denizli Metropolitan Municipality in Turkey is extending its initiative to provide free tracking devices, aiming to enhance the safety of individuals with special needs who are at risk of wandering off. The "We Are Not Alone" project offers GPS-enabled watches designed to help families monitor their loved ones around the clock.

The program specifically targets individuals with Alzheimer's, dementia, autism, and intellectual disabilities. Through a mobile application, families can track the real-time location of their relatives, providing a crucial layer of security and peace of mind. Hundreds of families have already benefited from this service, which aims to alleviate the significant anxiety associated with potential disappearances.

To apply for the tracking device, citizens must submit an online application through the Denizli Metropolitan Municipality's official website. Required documentation includes a medical report confirming the individual's diagnosis (Alzheimer's, dementia, autism, or intellectual disability) and proof that the total income of the family members caring for the individual does not exceed two times the minimum wage.

Denizli Metropolitan Mayor Bülent Nuri Çavuşoğlu emphasized the project's importance, stating, "We see our GPS-enabled smart watch support not just as a technological service, but as a part of the security and peace we offer to our families." He added, "We do not want any of our families to experience this anxiety alone. We desire all citizens in need to benefit from this support we have developed against the risk of getting lost. Let's protect our loved ones together in safety."