Rebuilding Earthquake-Hit Communities in Hatay

In the early morning hours of Monday, February 6, 2023, the region of southern Turkey and northern Syria was hit by an initial earthquake with 7.7 points on the Richter scale. This earthquake was followed only hours later by another earthquake in the same region that reached 7.6 points. With over 52.000 death counts is referred to as the “earthquake of the century” with countless aftershocks, which go—according to some accounts—into more than ten-thousands, many of them being felt in Cyprus and as far as Lebanon and Israel/Palestine. These earthquakes not only destroyed whole landscapes and cities in the region of southern Turkey and northern Syria but also affected the lives of millions of people in this region with a scale of destruction and suffering that lies beyond comprehension.

This fundraiser is dedicated to the people from the city of Hatay which is a region that was hit hard with almost all its historical sites and neighborhoods being destroyed or scheduled to be eradicated. Those who survived the earthquakes not only lost, just in a matter of seconds, beloved ones, family members, friends, and relatives, but also all their belonging, houses, and jobs, in short, the way of living as they knew it. Despite the immediate rescue work that reached some parts of this region, most people had to leave Hatay due to the lack of basic infrastructure like water, electricity, and shelter. Others now must survive in containers, tents, or other unsustainable solutions. Considering the unimaginable scale of destruction, this fundraiser aims to elevate the untold pain that so many people in this region face along with the life-changing decisions that lie ahead for them. This fundraiser aims to support all those efforts, both urgent and long-term, that aspire to re-construct the basic infrastructures but also to rebuild local communities and their way of life, which is expected to last for months and years to come.

The funds raised will be donated to Research Institute on Turkey and its effort to support vetted locally based organizations that actively work in Hatay and the region for relief and recovery efforts. RIT is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization in New York State and your donations are tax-deductible. More information can be found on their website www.riturkey.org and RIT’s social media accounts.

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