SOS Turkey/Syria

UPDATE - March, 24 - Reception Centres in Syria for 300 people 

Reception centers are temporary accommodations where people affected by humanitarian crises can stay. Their form and exact target group can vary, but they always serve the same purpose - to provide refuge to those who need it.

After the earthquake, we were able to reach Syrians who suffered in the catastrophe. One of the most urgent needs was establishing a reception center. So we partnered with International Humanitarian Relief - IHR, and Better Shelter to build 6 such places in 5 different locations in Syria.

Each center consists of bedrooms separated by gender, a kitchen, and sanitary facilities. Up to fifty people can reside in the complex at the same time.

The project is carried out with financial support from IKEA Foundation.

Above all, our activities are made possible by your contributions to this collection. Thank you very much for your trust and we ask you to continue to support us.

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UPDATE - March, 24 - Hamza fourth-year student of dentistry from Syria

Hamza is from Syria, but he lives in Turkey. During the earthquake, he was in another city but immediately returned to Sanliurfa to help evacuate his family.

About their needs, he said: "The most important thing to me now is to have proper shelter and stability. My family and I are very traumatized. We can go back home, but our children are so traumatized now that we prefer to stay in a tent. We bought the tents that we are currently living in ourselves."

Hamza is a fourth-year student of dentistry. During our conversation, he was constantly sculpting: "It's part of our practice. I didn’t want to stop practising and I figured out I could do it using clay."

Join us in helping people affected by the earthquake.
We can provide aid thanks to your support. 
Contribute to this collection.

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UPDATE - February, 17 - Distribution of mattresses in Nizip

We carried out a distribution of mattresses in Nizip. Until now, people who received the beds had been sleeping on the floor or on blankets in cold tents. The tents are set up in a park and on the stadium grounds.

The help was delivered to people from Turkey and Syria who live in the city. In total, we distributed 1,500 mattresses, and more are to be given out in Gaziantep. The distribution was supported by the International Humanitarian Relief (IHR), volunteers and the Orange Organization.

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UPDATE - February, 14 - People are cold and in need of warm meals. 

In the last few days, we carried out several food distributions. 

We reached several hundred people in collective centers in Gaziantep, organized in such places as schools, mosques or sports halls, and in small villages around the city.

We are supported by our trusted local partner International Humanitarian Relief (IHR).

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UPDATE - February, 13 - Warm meals for families from Turkey and Syria

People who suffered in the earthquake have lost not only all of their belongings, but also access to the basic products, including food.

Our team in cooperation with International Humanitarian Relief - Turkey distributed warm, nutritious meals to families in Kartal, a village on the hills, and in one of the reception centers in Gaziantep.

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UPDATE - February, 10 - Lola Girard, Emergency Response Coordinator

The latest update from Gaziantep. Lola Girard, emergency response coordinator who is on the ground in Turkey, talks about the distribution that was already carried out on Thursday, as well as describes upcoming activities.

Join us in helping people affected by the earthquake.

We can provide aid thanks to your support. 

Contribute to the fundraiser.

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The First Distribution

Yesterday, we carried out our first distribution of essential items to the earthquake victims in Turkey!

Our Emergency Response Team together with local partner handed out packages to more than 400 people. The kits contained blankets, bottled water, and hygiene products - including baby diapers and sanitary pads for women. The distributions took place near the train station and in front of public school in Gaziantep.

photos: PAH

Many people found shelter in the train station tunnels or in their own cars, as well as temporary, makeshift living spaces, constructed with materials that were available. Their situation is very grave.

We cooperate with a trusted local partner, International Humanitarian Relief.

A powerful earthquake measured at 7.8 magnitude struck south-eastern Turkey last night, killing 1,600 people and injuring over 5,400. The number of casualties, in both Turkey and Syria, could be much higher as many people are still trapped under the rubble or no contact can be established with them.

According to estimates, as many as 12 million people may be affected, including 2 million Syrian refugees residing in the area. The Kahramanmaras province and the surrounding area within a 400-kilometre radius suffered the most. Thousands of residential buildings were destroyed, including schools and hospitals in Malatya and Hatay. 

Our PAH Emergency Response Team is already on the way to assess the scale of needs and start providing assistance immediately. In a situation like this, every day counts! The needs are clearly enormous, as hundreds of thousands of people have lost all their possessions and their homes in the disaster.

photos: PAH

The seismic situation remains very unstable: strong aftershocks have been recorded, making it difficult to deliver aid where it is needed, and the needs are growing with every passing moment. The temperatures in the area are very low at the moment, making warm shelters an utmost priority. The humanitarian situation is very dynamic so we will provide further details of our assistance on a regular basis.

Please donate and help us respond as soon as possible.