Turkey & Syria Earthquake Response Fund

Status Update: May 3rd, 2023 

The situation in Turkey and Syria following the devastating earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 2023, and subsequent aftershocks remains challenging. As of May 3, 2023, the confirmed death toll stood at 59,259 people, 50,783 in Turkey, and 8,476 in Syria. Over 107,000 people have been injured, and the earthquakes have displaced more than 1.5 million people, with around 200,000 buildings destroyed or deemed unlivable. The earthquake zone has also experienced severe flooding, causing further damage and loss of life. 

Efforts to provide relief and recovery to affected communities are ongoing, with support from aid organizations and governments worldwide. Aid from nearly 150 countries has reached earthquake victims, and more than 70 field hospitals have been established. However, the needs of the affected communities remain significant, with many still struggling to access necessities such as food, clean water, and healthcare. 

As relief efforts continue, the affected communities are also facing challenges related to the severe winter weather conditions. The earthquake zone has been hit by heavy snowfall, making it difficult for aid organizations to deliver relief supplies to remote areas and exacerbating the already challenging living conditions for the displaced residents. 

The earthquakes have also significantly impacted the economy of the affected areas, with many businesses destroyed or forced to close. The loss of livelihoods has further compounded the challenges faced by residents who are already struggling to meet their basic needs. The Turkish government continues to work on an ambitious reconstruction plan to rebuild the affected areas. However, the scale of the destruction means that the recovery process is likely to be long and challenging. 

International support will be critical in supporting the recovery efforts and ensuring that affected communities can rebuild their lives and livelihoods. While progress has been made in delivering aid and medical support to the affected areas, there is still much work to be done to help these communities recover from this devastating disaster. 

IMMEDIATE NEEDS  

Give2Asia is funding relief and recovery with six highly recognized partners working on the ground in affected communities. Immediate needs remain for shelter, tents, thermal clothing, sleeping bags, heat, water, power supply, and baby care kits for the displaced residents. The damage to roads and infrastructure has made many areas unlivable. The multiple earthquakes and over 7,000 aftershocks that continue have caused significant damage to villages and rural areas in addition to urban areas. 

As partners’ teams on the ground continue to recover the deceased and evaluate structural damage, relief efforts must continue to be scaled up, especially for the most vulnerable women, children, elderly, persons with disabilities, and persons facing protection issues due to legal status in Turkey. Access to medical care and mental health services for survivors is also crucial. 

Furthermore, the Turkish government has highlighted the need for international support in the reconstruction efforts, as the cost of the destruction caused by the earthquake is estimated to be approximately USD 64 billion. The reconstruction of homes, infrastructure, and businesses will require significant financial and logistical support from the international community. 

CURRENT PROGRAMS & PARTNERS  

Give2Asia will continue to develop partnerships with organizations supporting relief and recovery. During this emergency response phase, Give2Asia is supporting the work of our partners with a range of program priorities, from providing urgent basic needs such as food, clean water, and health service, supporting vulnerable groups and Syrian refugees affected by the earthquake; to ensuring access to education for children, and psychosocial activities. Give2Asia is proud to work with the Partners listed below:

International Blue Crescent Relief and Development Foundation  

IBC has offices that serve communities in Turkey and Syria and is now mobilizing to provide relief and assess needs. Given the cold weather conditions in the affected areas of Turkey and Syria, IBC’s initial goal is to distribute tents, heaters, blankets, warm clothing, and food to families. IBC has offices in the cities of Gaziantep (the epicenter of the disaster), Hatay (where severe damages occurred), Kilis (from where IBC can help with the North Syria response), and Sanliurfa (from where they have access to Diyarbakir and Malatya). IBC has local teams in the field in Kilis, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, and Sanliurfa and is assisting the local authorities with the emergency rescue of those under the collapsed buildings. With Give2Asia’s support, IBC will provide essential aid for at least 3,000 babies and children affected by the quakes in Hatay Province. The support will run for one month, focusing on fulfilling essential needs such as blankets, diapers, and other support for babies, children, and the elderly. In addition, IBC also supports earthquake-affected Syrian refugees living on the Turkish side of the Nurdağı District. The District is estimated to be home to more than 15,000 Syrian refugees. In this regard, IBC prioritizes hot meals for a minimum of 1,500 Syrians, mainly settled in the Nurdagi and Islahiye districts. Hot meals will consist of at least three different dishes, with bread and fruit, yogurt, and dessert, which will be served depending on the day’s choice.

Hayata Destek Derneği (Support to Life) 

Hayata Destek / Support to Life (STL) is a humanitarian organization that works with communities affected by disasters to meet their basic needs. Since 2005, the work of STL has focused on Emergency Aid, Refugee Support, Child Protection, and Civil Society Strengthening with the guiding principles of non-discrimination, impartiality, independence, and accountability. Support to Life has a team in the earthquake zones to support the evacuation processes and provide relief to the survivors. Urgent needs include tents suitable for winter conditions, in-tent tube stoves, sleeping bags, and blankets. In partnership with Give2Asia, Support To Life (STL) will focus on the freshwater needs of the affected communities in the three affected regions. The clean water installation is expected to serve the clean water needs of 4,000 survivors daily. The support is expected to run for 30-45 days. Moreover, Hayata Destek (Support to Life) will also purchase and distribute winterized tents that will give 200 families in Hatay Province, Turkey, a better temporary shelter that could protect them from the cold and rain. 

Ihtiyaç Haritasi / Needs Map 

Needs Map is a social platform cooperative based in Turkey that identifies the needs of individuals and communities through map-based communication. Needs Map focuses on the provinces directly affected by the earthquake to ensure coordination, determine the needs of earthquake-affected regions and people, and coordinate relief efforts in partnership with other NGOs and public authorities to ensure an effective response. Needs Map also monitors the impact of affected communities and works with partners and members of the Disaster Network to allocate aid and support where it is most needed. Give2Asia supports Needs Map’s emergency work by providing 600 food packages to those in need over the next three months. The support will reach the Province of Hatay, İskenderun, Adıyaman, Gaziantep, and Kahramanmaraş. Your support has also enabled Needs Map to establish community centers, which include a technology room, library, classroom, music room, sports/dance room, kitchen, multi-purpose common areas, and a garden for approximately 2,000 earthquake-affected people in Hatay, Turkiye.  

AHBAP 

The AHBAP team provides essential food, clothing, medical supplies, and shelter to those in need. They also offer an open-access, earthquake-safe map on their official website and social media channels to help survivors find local businesses, hotels, and other essential facilities that offer support. Established in 2017, AHBAP is one of the most prominent organizations in Turkey, and has been on the ground since the day of the earthquake with search and rescue teams to reach survivors. In terms of direct emergency response work, Give2Asia is supporting the provision of community-sized container houses that include a kitchen, bathroom, sleeping area, heater, blankets, hygiene products, power banks, and personal necessities, particularly for women and children. Each container house can host up to 40 people and will run for approximately six months to provide better shelter for communities who have lost their homes. 

LOSEV 

LÖSEV, the Health and Education Foundation for Children with Leukemia, is a non-governmental (NGO) and not-for-profit public benefit organization that has been providing support for more than 72,000 children with leukemia and cancer, adult cancer patients, and their families since 1998. Following the earthquake, LÖSEV promptly switched its operations to the affected region to provide relief to those in need. Thanks to its well-established structure with the necessary experiences and competencies, LÖSEV can respond to the needs of children and adults with leukemia and cancer in the earthquake-hit region. As it is already in direct and day-to-day communication with its 7,000 registered patients in the quake-hit provinces, LÖSEV has the ability to iespond to the needs and challenges of the crisis zone. At least 1,500 of the 7,000 patients have had their homes destroyed or rendered uninhabitable. LÖSEV has launched several campaigns for its registered patients impacted by the earthquakes. For example, LÖSEV “Goodness” Aid Trucks have been traveling to the region since the beginning of the process, delivering emergency aid such as cleaning supplies, water, heaters, batteries, winter clothes, food, beverages, tents, blankets, and more, to thousands of registered patients living in the affected areas. In the upcoming period, LÖSEV will provide support to earthquake survivor cancer patients in need with permanent projects within the scope of LÖSEV’s annual plans.  

Educational Volunteers Foundation of Turkey (TEGV) 

The Educational Volunteers Foundation of Turkey (TEGV), established on September 1, 1995, is a non-governmental organization that provides free educational support to children between the ages of 6-14. With its effective and distinctive educational programs, TEGV carries out activities with children in 55 activity centers across Turkey. Since 1995, TEGV has provided quality educational support to more than 3 million children. Following the earthquake in February 2023 that affected 11 cities in southeastern Turkey, TEGV mobilized all its resources to provide emergency needs such as shelter, hygiene support, and psychosocial activities. TEGV opened its activity centers, including two permanent centers in Şanlıurfa and Adana, and 15 mobile education trucks called “Fireflies” in Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Hatay, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Malatya, and Osmaniye, to provide educational support to earthquake-affected people. Give2Asia supports TEGV to help children and their families adapt to their current conditions, use art as a healing treatment, improve their fine and gross motor skills, and teach about sustainability. The primary target group is 1,200 children and their families who live in three tent cities affected by earthquakes. 

HOW TO GIVE  

Thanks to the support of Give2Asia’s Donors and Supporters, we have distributed nearly US$ 350,000 to six local partners working tirelessly to support the earthquake-affected communities.  

All donations received by Give2Asia will help communities in Turkey and Syria. Give2Asia will publish more details on the needs emerging in the coming days and weeks—and report on every dollar granted for relief and recovery.   

Click the “Donate” button above to make a credit card donation. For large gifts or corporate giving opportunities, please get in touch with our international giving team.  

Please note that depending on political circumstances in Turkey and Syria, grants may be routed through each organization’s headquarters or operations in neighboring countries.

Photos courtesy of Hayata Destek

Photos courtesy of Needs Map