A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, February 6, 2023, killing thousands and injuring tens of thousands more. There have been over 300 aftershocks reverberating from the deadly quake in southern Turkey, just 50 miles from the Syrian border, the strongest of which was 7.5 magnitude. The quake is one of the strongest to hit the region in more than 100 years, and the many victims of this natural disaster are in urgent need of help.
A number of Cloud for Good partners and organizations we admire have sprung to action in the wake of this event to provide support and services to those affected. Please see below for a list of those organizations, their relief efforts, and how you can help.
CARE
CARE has organized a Turkey Syria Earthquakes Fund used to provide emergency aid, including food, shelter, hygiene kits, cold weather supplies, and cash assistance. Each gift made to CARE will help the organization reach tens of thousands of vulnerable people affected by the disaster.
Concern Worldwide
The city of Gaziantep in southern Turkey and its surrounding area have been home to hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing Syrian conflict for over ten years. Concern Worldwide has operations in the area to provide support for the displaced and is calling for donations to assist in providing emergency supplies and shelter.
Doctors Without Borders
Teams from Doctors Without Borders are on the ground responding to the overwhelming need for medical assistance for those impacted by this emergency. Because the organization already had a presence in the region, Doctors Without Borders representatives have worked since the initial hours following the quake and need for additional assistance providing supply kits and vital health services.
International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has more than 1,000 staff members currently in Syria working to provide life-saving support. Many of the communities hardest-hit by the earthquakes have been displaced several times prior to the quakes as a result of the region’s ongoing conflict. IRC’s relief response is scaling significantly up to support affected communities.
Plan International
Plan International has established a network of local partners working to provide immediate lifesaving needs for children and their families in Syria. With a focus on vulnerable girls and women in the area, Plan International is providing food and water, shelter, blankets, and other immediate relief to support communities in northwest Syria.
To support the most vulnerable children affected by this emergency in Syria and to protect girls and young women, click below.
Save the Children
Save the Children is working to assess the significant scale of damage and provide support to children in northwest Syria. In Turkey, Save the Children is working to meet the mounting needs and have established a response team to support the national emergency response across the region. Teams on the ground are supporting those affected with winterization and emergency kits, including blankets, clothing, and other essential needs.
While there is no way of predicting when disaster will strike, there will always be people and organizations ready to meet the moment and provide support when needed most. Cloud for Good is proud to work with such impactful organizations and we will do everything in our power to empower these relief efforts and help the people of Turkey and Syria recover from this disaster.
