On 6 February 2023, a devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake, followed by multiple powerful aftershocks, struck southeastern Turkey (officially the Republic of Türkiye), near the Syrian border. Over 50,000 people, including 7,000 Syrian refugees, lost their lives. It is estimated that over 9 million people have been affected by the earthquakes, with 3 million of them displaced.
For years, World Vision has been working in the areas affected by this earthquake, providing help for Syrian children and families displaced by the war. Our staff, together with our local partners, started assessing the needs within hours of the first quake, and began responding in the two countries on that very day.
World Vision’s response
Within the first week, we were able to provide fuel, hot meals and medical assistance for about 10,000 people who lost their homes in the harsh winter. By the end of the first month, we were able to assist over 40,000 people in meeting their needs, including providing shelter and psychosocial support to children affected.
In the months that followed, we expanded our work to help families and communities rebuild their lives. We had initially aimed to reach 1 million people in the first year, but thanks to the generous support of donors from Hong Kong and worldwide, as of January 2024, we and our partners have already provided support for over 2.4 million people, including:
Our response has been ongoing ever since it was first launched.
Current situation and needs
In Turkey, approximately half of the people displaced by the earthquake have returned to their homes, while tens of thousands continue to live in informal tented settlements where many basic needs remain, including access to adequate water supply and sanitation, psychosocial support services to deal with trauma, and more. Turkey has remained as the largest host country of Syrian refugees in the world, and millions of them live near the epicentre of this earthquake. Having been forced to leave their homes due to a war that has been going on since 2011, these people are now facing yet even more misery and pain after the earthquake. Poverty, as well as limited social services support, mean that their journey to recovery will be long and full of challenges.
Children and families living in
Northwest Syria need continued humanitarian assistance such as shelter, water,
sanitation and hygiene, as well as psychosocial support. Even before the
earthquake, many children in conflict-affected areas were already showing signs
of post-traumatic stress disorder and alarming suicidal thoughts. Continuous
care and support in every aspect of their lives will be instrumental in their
recovery.
World Vision runs education centres to help provide affected children with opportunities to continue their education.
World Vision has provided a variety of water, sanitation and hygiene interventions, such as providing water through water stations and water trucking, as well as providing toilets and other sanitation facilities to prevent the spread of diseases.
World Vision has provided a variety of health and nutrition services to help those who have been wounded physically or mentally, such as primary health care, physical rehabilitation and mental health support.
World Vision provides cash assistance to help affected community members acquire food and other products based on their particular needs.
World Vision offers cash for work opportunities, which not only allows people to help rebuild their own communities, but also provides them with an instant source of income to meet immediate needs.
Psychosocial support sessions are provided to help children cope with their losses and recover from the traumatic experiences they endured during and after the earthquake.
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