Urgent Appeal: Supporting Earthquake Relief in Turkey and Syria
Dear AGITATE! Readers,
As you know, a devastating earthquake and its aftershocks hit Turkey and Syria on Monday, 5th February, wreaking unimaginable destruction and loss of life in areas already struggling with political repression, displacement, and underdevelopment. More than 20,000 lives have been lost, and this number is expected to rise. Tens of thousands who have lost their homes and communities are in urgent need of shelter and other basic amenities. The disaster has left disadvantaged groups (people with disabilities, immunocompromised people, children, and refugees, to name some) even more vulnerable.
Many of the hardest-hit areas are parts of Kurdistan within the borders of Turkey and Syria that have been historically subjected to intentional policies of underdevelopment by the Turkish and Syrian regimes. The devastation wrought by the earthquake is combined with this ongoing neglect, making people’s situation even harder. There are concerns about aid coming from the international community that is being channeled through the Erdogan and Assad regimes reaching the Kurdish areas and other minoritized communities.
In discussion with AGITATE! community members who have deep connections with Turkey and Syria and are involved with ongoing relief operations there, we have compiled a list of reliable organizations that you can support to aid rescue and relief operations. We will update this list as new information becomes available. AGITATE! stands in solidarity with the people affected by this disaster and ongoing state repression and neglect.
Heyva Sor (Kurdish Red Crescent)
Few major aid organizations that serve Turkey and Syria operate in Kurdish regions affected by the earthquake. The Europe-based charity Kurdish Red Crescent (Heyva Sor) is an organization providing on-the-ground service in these areas. Since Americans don’t often use IBAN money transfers, the easiest way to donate is via Heyva Sor’s Paypal account.
Website: https://www.heyvasor.com/en/
Donation Link: https://www.heyvasor.com/en/banga-alikariya-lezgin-ji-bo-mexduren-erdheje/
Ahbap (Turkish Mutual Aid Organization)
Website: https://ahbap.org/
Donation Link: https://ahbap.org/disasters-turkey
Akut Derneǧi (Search & Research Association)
Website: https://www.akut.org.tr/en
Donation Link: https://www.akut.org.tr/en/donation
NuDay Syria
Website: https://www.nudaysyria.org/about
Donation Link: https://donate.nudaysyria.org/give/465123/#!/donation/checkout
Syrian American Medical Society
Website: https://www.sams-usa.net/
Donation Link: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/EarthquakeSyria
Save the Children Funds
Website: https://www.savethechildren.org/
Donation Link: https://support.savethechildren.org/site/Donation2?df_id=4988&mfc_pref=T&4988.donation=form1
Syrian American Medical Society
Website: https://www.sams-usa.net/who-we-are/
Donation Link: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/EarthquakeSyria
Turkish Philanthropy Funds
Website: https://www.tpfund.org/
Donation Link: https://donate.tpfund.org/campaign/tpf-turkiye-earthquake/c465112
Queer Relief Fund: https://gogetfunding.com/queer-relief-fund-for-the-6-february-earthquake-lgbtqia-and-or-sw-survivors/
Aman Project (Providing support to queer refugees in the region)
Donation Link: https://www.justgiving.
This community-created list of organizations to support is also reliable. https://velvele.net/2023/02/07/how-can-you-help-turkey-syria-and-rojava-updating/