Turkey and Syria – Earthquake 2023
The devastating earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6, 2023, left more than 50 thousand dead and millions injured. Nearly 200,000 buildings in the area collapsed or were severely damaged.
Thanks to regular donors, we have allocated the first €10,000 from the Club of Friends fund for rapid relief.
In the following days, we collected up to 375 thousand euros from donors as well as from companies and foundations to help the earthquake victims. In cooperation with our sister organisation, People in Need, which had more than 500 long-term aid workers on the ground, we immediately started humanitarian aid. Makeshift camps were set up in Turkey, to which we regularly delivered hot food and drinks, humanitarian packages, tarpaulins to create makeshift shelter, torches, mattresses, blankets, as well as generators and tankers of drinking water, in cooperation with the local administration and NGOs.
In Syria, more than 148 towns have been affected by the earthquake. We donated 50 thousand litres of diesel to local governments to supply vehicles with heavy equipment. We distributed 300 winter clothing kits for children and adults in the Syrian cities of Dana and Atareb. We provided 1,500 dried food packages, including baby food supplements, worth more than 25,000 euros for the most affected. Hot meals, up to 800 portions a day, were distributed in canteens. We provided financial assistance of around €140 to around 1 200 families to purchase basic food and hygiene items.