March Update: Türkiye and Syria
Following the earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria in February, the Amity Foundation wasted no time in providing humanitarian aid to the affected people by raising funds, sending supplies and dispatching staff to the disaster area. After 14 days of conducting relief work in Turkiye, Amity colleagues Zhang Chao and Cui Yazhou have returned to Nanjing with stories to share.
Amity’s response to the disaster began at home. On the day of the earthquakes, our staff contacted international and domestic partners to gather information and coordinate actions. Three days later, our relief team arrived in Türkiye and immediately commenced local operations, conducting needs assessment, purchasing and delivering much-needed supplies to hard-to-reach areas.
Reflecting on the experience, Zhang Chao remarked that Amity’s assistance focused on helping those in temporary settlement areas, providing them with sanitary and winterization supplies. “We could not have managed to deliver such a great number of supplies without the help of local volunteers.” added Cui Yazhou.
Indeed, local solidarity could be seen at every turn of Zhang and Cui’s journey. Unfettered by differences in race or creed, local volunteers selflessly provided food, transport and shelter to their counterparts from abroad.
“There is still so much work to be done.” Zhang said, referring to the people who remained displaced in the wake of the disaster. “ In additional to conducting relief work, we managed to establish ties with local organizations, which will be important for cooperative operations going forward.”
Amity continues to appeal to all to provide assistance to Türkiye and Syria on their long road to recovery. Visit our Türkiye and Syria portals to learn about our work there and how you can get involved.
