Special Edition: Sending Aid to Turkey & Syria
Photo Caption and Credit : On February 10, 2023, UK aid for people affected by the earthquakes in Turkey arrived on a Royal Air Force flight (UK Foreign Office)
On February 6, Turkey and Syria were struck by two devastating earthquakes and more than one hundred frightening aftershocks. Buildings were leveled, and homes were completely destroyed. Rescue groups deployed as quickly as possible to save people who were trapped and crushed by tons of rubble. The videos of families and first responders digging by hand to free trapped victims have been harrowing. The number of people presumed dead now totals more than 21,000, an unimaginable and tragic figure.
Although both countries have suffered grave losses, given the political instability and active conflict in Syria, sending aid to Turkey has been easier by comparison. CNN said that the parts of Syria most impacted by the earthquake are controlled by Bashar al-Assad. Still, other areas are either led by opposition forces backed by the U.S. and Turkey or controlled by a myriad of different rebel groups. These divisions make it extremely difficult for humanitarian aid groups to operate safely and effectively in Syria. Prior to the earthquake, Turkey had taken in nearly four million Syrian refugees seeking peace and resettlement in their border state. Unfortunately, according to The New Yorker, "the vast majority of them live where the earthquakes hit, with many living in Gaziantep."
Because this situation is dire and global support is needed today, we are going to focus on what the global community can do right now to get involved and help. Everyone can do something, and here’s a short list of organizations that are meeting the task.
CARE: According to CARE's VP for Humanitarian Affairs, they are "striving to scale-up rapidly," and they are "supporting people in need with flour, winter clothes, blankets, generators, ready-to-eat kits, drinking water." You can support those efforts here.
Doctors Without Borders: Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams in northwestern Syria started treating patients "within the first hours of the first earthquake." Sadly, two MSF staff members died, while others lost loved ones. This is one of the few organizations with access to impacted parts of Syria. You can help fund their work here.
The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS): This U.S.-based humanitarian organization "proudly provides medical care and treatment to every patient in need." SAMS offers several ways for people to support their work. You can donate, amplify their advocacy campaigns, contribute in-kind gifts for medical relief, or encourage your employer to become a corporate sponsor.
UNICEF: In both countries, UNICEF says its "response is focused on child protection, providing immediate psycho-social support, operationalization of child-friendly spaces and temporary learning spaces, assessing of main water stations and respective services, as well as health and nutrition needs." UNICEF is asking for donations, which can be made here.
OXFAM: Their teams in both countries are assessing needs, including how to provide hygiene items and cash to displaced families. Additionally, they are sending engineers to evaluate buildings, and they are working to prevent cholera outbreaks. You can support their work here.