On February 6, two powerful earthquakes erupted across Türkiye and Syria. One of the deadliest earthquakes in over 20 years, the initial 7.8 magnitude earthquake was centered near Gaziantep, a city in south central Türkiye home to millions of Syrian refugees. The second 7.5 magnitude earthquake was felt nearly nine hours later, and almost 2,000 aftershocks have been reported. As of now, over 40,000 people have died, nearly 80,000 more have been injured, and 6,000 buildings have been destroyed – and numbers are only expected to rise. About 80,000 rescue personnel have been deployed, working in near-freezing temperatures searching for survivors among the rubble. Islamic Relief is working with local partners across Türkiye and Syria to distribute emergency relief. In Türkiye, families are receiving cash assistance to help pay for vital aid including food, water, and medicine. In Syria, families are being provided with their most immediate needs. And in coming months, we plan to focus on long-term development aid. Join us and help support your brothers and sisters across Türkiye and Syria in their time of need.
Focus on Türkiye
Türkiye is one of the more advanced nations of those we work in across Europe. However, it’s still severely affected by poverty. High unemployment among youth and gender inequality have led to a significant setback in the economy, and inflation is rising as resources such as gas and electricity are almost unaffordable. In certain areas of the country, climate-induced natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and forest fires are very common. To add, Türkiye is the largest refugee-hosting country in the world. As of last year, it’s home to nearly4 million refugees, 3.5 million of which are Syrian.
Islamic Relief has been working in Türkiye since the early 2000s. Our goal is to provide emergency and long-term aid not only to residents of Türkiye, but Syrian and other refugee populations alike.
A few of our interventions include:
Emergency aid for families affected by natural disasters including the Van and Izmir earthquakes alike as well as floods and forest fires
Humanitarian aid for Syrian and Iraqi refugees including access to basic needs such as food, healthcare, and education as well as orphan family support
We Need YOUR Help
Thanks to you, we’ve been able to accomplish so much. But there’s still so much more to do. By continuing to support our efforts in Türkiye, you can help make a difference in the lives of those in desperate need.