Turkey-Syria earthquake 2023

On February 6, 2023, a catastrophic magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria. Approximately nine hours later, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck. The combined earthquakes and more than 1,000 powerful aftershocks leveled buildings and killed more than 41,000 people. The impacted area is estimated to be over 650 miles across southern Turkey and northern Syria – an area already devastated by years of war and home to thousands of Syrian refugees as well as many humanitarian aid organizations. In northwest Syria, 4.1 million people depend on humanitarian assistance, the majority of whom are women and children. The humanitarian challenges in Syria were enormous even before this earthquake.

Governments around the world responded quickly with assistance, but the short- and long-term needs in the region will continue to grow exponentially. In response to this, TPI’s Center for Global Philanthropy put together this resource page to enable donors and the philanthropic sector to provide support on the ground.

Originally published on February 9, 2023. This list will be updated as more information is available. Please share any additional resources with info@tpi.org.

Funds and Organizations to Support

Please note that US citizens and funders can give directly to a 501(c)3 or through intermediaries that assist with international giving such as the King Baudouin Foundation United States or Global Giving. NGOsource also has a repository of vetted organizations and can assist in conducting equivalency determinations to verify that non-US-based charities qualify for tax deductions. Local and national organizations on the ground, as well as others that directly grant to local NGOs, are marked with an asterisk (*).

 

  • Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s Turkey & Syria Earthquake Recovery Fund provides targeted grantmaking that prioritizes needs identified in collaboration with local partners, with a current focus on immediate needs like shelter, protection, cash assistance, and health care.
  • CARE International is assessing the most urgent needs to help in the emergency response.
  • Doctors without Borders/Medicins Sans Frontieres is providing treatment for patients in their supported hospitals, and their teams have donated emergency medical kits to other facilities in the region.
  • Give2Asia and King Baudouin Foundation United States (KBFUS) are partnering together on the Turkey & Syria Earthquake Response Fund to raise earthquake relief and recovery funds for Turkey and Syria. All donations received by KBFUS will go to help communities in partnership with on-the-ground organizations, including International Blue Crescent Relief and Development Foundation.
  • GlobalGiving is helping first responders meet survivors’ immediate needs for food, fuel, clean water, medicine, and shelter. As needs evolve, they will provide longer-term recovery efforts run by local, vetted organizations in the impacted areas.
  • The IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation is conducting search and rescue operations and providing water, food and emergency supplies to earthquake survivors via their mobile soup kitchen.
  • Project HOPE is delivering urgently needed medicines, supplies, training for health workers and other relief.
  • Refugee Protection International is responding with the expansion of a self-reliance program to provide ready-to-eat meals, shelter, and/or psychosocial support, as needed.
  • Save The Children (Emergency Fund) is working with partners on the ground to coordinate the national emergency response in Turkey and established a response team to provide support to children and communities.
  • Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) is providing urgent medical care to the injured at Bab Al Hawa hospital among others.
  • Turkish Red Crescent, an extension of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent, is mobilizing kitchens, tents, and blankets to the affected areas.
  • UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is providing emergency items including tents, blankets, and hygiene items.
  • UNICEF is providing child protection, safe water, and emergency supplies.
  • Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations is providing medical relief and health care services to thousands of people affected by the crisis and is operating the largest hospitals in northern Syria.
  • The White Helmets are working to rescue civilians and are urgently asking for additional search and rescue equipment, heavy equipment, spare parts and fuel.

Educational Resources and Information Hubs

 

(Photo: The Turkish Army supports search and rescue efforts in Turkey after the earthquake, February 6, 2023. Source: Republic of Türkiye Ministry of National Defence via Twitter)