Who organizes this campaign?
I, Martin Baran, am organizing this campaign in the name of the Turkish non-profit organization AHBAP. I live in the earthquake-hit city of Adana and have been teaching at the local university for the past 5 years. I was in Slovakia on the day when the earthquake happened. However, I was woken up by a call from a loved one in Adana, full of fear and pain. I cannot sit idle as I am in daily contact with friends, colleagues, and family who live in Turkey, and they need help. In Adana alone, around 20 buildings have collapsed, and the city is half-empty as people are afraid to return to their homes. However, the situation in the nearby town of Antakya, Iskenderun is critical. A friend lost his girlfriend there, who called for help by phone under the rubble and communicated until the moment her phone died. Unfortunately, it was not possible to pull her out alive. Other cities such as Antep, Malatya, Maraş, Diyarbakır, Osmaniye, Adıyaman, and Urfa were also significantly damaged, and life in them stopped, rescue works replaced it.
Why did I launch this campaign?
On Monday (February 6, 2023), children in Türkiye were ready to return to school after the winter break and unite with their classmates, friends, and teachers – full of hope and excitement about what a new semester might bring. Unfortunately, everything changed in a second when the first earthquake hit Türkiye at 04:17 am. People woke up to the darkest nightmare, trying to escape their homes and on the way out to alarm the neighbors. For many, the longest and scariest minute of life, during which everything was shaking, and buildings started collapsing. Not everyone was lucky enough to get out. Many people died in their beds or under ruins while waiting for help. On that day, two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.8 and 7.5 hit Türkiye and Syria.
Why is our help necessary?
The main problem is indeed the lack of necessities. Many volunteers on site have literally to beg for fuel to run generators. Coordinated volunteer assistance is not covered financially enough, which can cause many groups to cease operations. The lack of basic needs causes the rise of tensions in some parts, and therefore local organizations urgently need our help.
Schools in the affected region are either damaged or closed. Dormitories remain closed, and universities have suspended their classes until September and continue with online education as it was during the pandemic. Although the remaining schools should reopen on March 1, some school buildings are damaged in a way that students cannot return to them. The right to education is one of the basic needs we must provide to students as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the time to return to school may be delayed, as many cities have completely damaged infrastructure and are without electricity. This pain will not heal soon and will leave deep wounds.
Some of us have friends and families in the area, and Turkish people are known for their hospitality and friendliness. It's time for us to act because that urgently needed help might change the lives of people, we could meet up with during our summer holiday in Antalya, Marmaris, Muğla, Fethiye, or other destinations where we make up those beautiful memories and love to come back. And now, Türkiye needs us!
What exactly will the money from this campaign be used for?
Turkey is in a difficult situation and urgently needs our help. The collected funds are intended to support the local organization AHBAP – founded in 2017 by Turkish singer Haluk Levent. The organization participates actively in assisting people in need, currently homeless after the devastating earthquake, and provides necessities such as food, water, tents, shelters, heaters, clothes, and other things necessary for life. AHBAP volunteers have been in the affected region since the first day of the disaster, cooperating with rescue services, identifying needs, and providing means of assistance. The organization also helps in mediating the connection between donors of material donations and local authorities so that trucks with cargo reach the affected areas as soon as possible. They also set up container houses for earthquake victims. Recovery plans include helping to rebuild as many schools as possible, as well as social care facilities for the elderly and student dormitories.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/@Ahbap/videos
The collected funds will primarily be used for the purchase of basic needs, which are:
- Pillows / Blankets / Sleeping Bags
- Powerbanks / Backup sources / Generators / Flashlights
- Food / Baby Food / Water
- Medicines / Hygiene supplies / Diapers
- Clothing / Thermal Clothing / Caps / Scarves / Gloves
- Heaters / Tents
- Renewal of Schools / Social Facilities / Dormitories
- Container homes
What difference can 10€ make for earthquake victims in Türkiye?
While it may only be enough for a simple meal in many countries, in Türkiye, 10€ can make a huge difference. It equals to around 200 Turkish Liras and together we could provide these:
- 28 x Loafs of Bread
- 130 x Bottles of Water
- 40 x Pack of Convenience Food
- 460 x Baby Diapers
- 1 x Infrared Heater
Every donation counts and will help to support recovery efforts. If you're unable to donate, please, spread the word and let others know about this campaign. It's TIME TO UNITE. TIME TO REBUILD. TIME TO EMIT LIGHT FOR THE FUTURE. Thank you!
AHBAP organization:
AHBAP website: https://ahbap.org/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Ahbap
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ahbap/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahbap/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ahbap/
