Hello everyone,

In the early morning hours of Monday, the 6th of February, people in the Middle East woke up to a large-scale earthquake that was felt in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Egypt.  The affected area is 77% of the size of England. As we absorbed the shock and fear we started discovering the huge victims' toll in both Turkey and Syria. Thousands of buildings collapsed causing hundreds or maybe thousands of deaths.

This was a strong earthquake of 7.8 magnitude that hit central Turkey and the North West of Syria. It led to a mass destruction in the buildings causing, so far, thousands of deaths and injuries, the numbers and the real impact is not clear yet, since rescue missions are short of equipment and resources.

All of this happened while the affected areas are already witnessing extreme weather conditions and below zero temperatures.

We are fundraising to support Basmeh Zeitooneh (Smile and Olive) as they have a solid track record in emergency response in Syria and Lebanon. The main needs according to the field teams are winterization kits (Blankets, Mattresses), food parcels, and heating material. In addition the team is preparing shelters to help our people find a roof and whatever safety is left for them. Furthermore the team is planning to support other local actors in debris removal and rescue efforts.

It will take many many years to restore these cities and probably impossible to heal their wounds. This is not just about Turkey and Syria, this is a universal humanitarian disaster.

Your support will help us elevate the disaster effect from already traumatized and destroyed lives.