On February 6, two powerful earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria in the space of 12 hours.

The first earthquake measuring 7.8 magnitude hit south-eastern Turkey, near the Syrian border and the second one struck four kilometres outside Ekinozu in central Turkey. 

And a few weeks later, on February 20, another large earthquake measuring 6.3M on the richter scale hit the region again. 

More than 55,000 people are estimated to have lost their lives in the quakes, while many more were injured and displaced.

More than 54,000 buildings, including hospitals and schools, were destroyed or damaged. 

ActionAid has launched an emergency response in the aftermath of the earthquake, to meet the needs of those affected; this has included shelter, food, medical aid, warm clothing, heaters and cash transfers.  

Please donate £50 now so we can reach those in need.

DEC Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal: how can I help?

Your gift today can help people in urgent need today.

Donation value

£30

could pay for a heater to keep a family warm

£50

could provide a mother and two children with thermal clothes and blankets to survive the freezing conditions

£100

could provide emergency ready-to-eat food for two families

Or choose your own amount to give

£
Donation value

£30

could pay for a heater to keep a family warm

£50

could provide a mother and two children with thermal clothes and blankets to survive the freezing conditions

£100

could provide emergency ready-to-eat food for two families

Or choose your own amount to give

£

What is ActionAid doing to help?

ActionAid's initial response is in Syria with our local partners, Violet Organization.

We are focusing on the worst-affected areas in three locations: Harem, Janderis, and Armanaz in Syria, responding to people's most urgent needs after the earthquake. 

We are assisting people affected by the earthquake with:

  • Search and rescue missions, including providing response workers, transportation, machine rent, and tools.
  • Ready-to-eat food and water.
  • Blankets and thermal clothes. 

 

 

After the Haiti earthquake

49-year-old Marie Dieula whose house in Jérémie, Haiti has been destroyed in the 2021 earthquake surveys the extensive damage to her home.

Widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure has left many families in desperate need of shelter and food support, facing another night sleeping on the streets. Many of those injured and displaced are women and children. 

We thought about going somewhere else to spend the night... We all six squeezed ourselves under a batch. We used woods to hold it while it could barely face the heavy rain.

Everything is still under the rubble. I lost my goods which were my only way to feed my family. We have been digging to find clothes, sheets and our important belongings since that’s all we have."

ActionAid’s response to the 2021 Haiti earthquake includes providing food support, shelter, essential items including blankets, pillows, kitchenware, and hygiene kits for women and girls.
 

About ActionAid

ActionAid is an international charity that works with women and girls living in poverty.

Our dedicated local staff are changing the world with women and girls. We are ending violence and fighting poverty so that all women, everywhere, can create the future they want.

We operate in rural and urban communities across Asia, Africa and Latin America.

We're committed to ending the cycle of violence in communities around the world, enabling women's economic empowerment, and supporting women's and girls' rights during humanitarian crises.

Where your money goes

90% of your donation will go directly to the DEC Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal.

10% of your donation will be retained for ActionAid’s Emergency Action Fund which will only be used for ensuring we are prepared and able to respond quickly and more effectively to future emergencies and crises.

If the total amount raised for this appeal exceeds the funds needed for the response, ActionAid will transfer the remaining balance to the Emergency Action Fund. All Gift Aid claimed on donations will fund ActionAid’s work across the world, wherever the need is greatest.

What is the situation in Syria?

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Top photo: Women hug near a collapsed building in Turkey after one loses her brother in the devastating earthquake in February 2023. Burak Kara/Getty Images

Page updated 25 July 2023