Today marks one year since the devastating earthquakes that killed over 50,000 people and devastated parts of Türkiye and Syria.
What is the situation one year on?
Over 9 million people were affected by the earthquakes, with over 3.6 million left without homes. Hundreds of thousands of buildings were destroyed.
Many people remain vulnerable one year on. As of August, the UN estimated that over 180,000 families were still living in temporary sites. Issues these communities are facing include loss of livelihoods, loss of schools and access to education, and access to clean, safe water.
Kamile used to live in Ovakent, Türkiye. She shared her story with us:
“I was working before the earthquake. I used to work for my friend Habibe, as a textile worker, but after my father's death, I couldn't go to work. No one in my family works. My father had a pension, but it was all cut off when he passed away. We don't have any money anymore.”
“Before the earthquake, we used to live in a proper house. But now we have lost everything. My mother is sick, and the cold temperature worsens her health. My father was ill before, and now he is dead.”
What is being done to help?
In the aftermath of the earthquakes, the Caritas network launched an emergency appeal to bring immediate support to affected communities in the form of emergency shelter, food and clean water.
In the year since, support has been given to tens of thousands of people struggling to rebuild their lives, including families like Kamile’s, who received items including include diapers for her young siblings and a wheelchair for her mother.
Communities have been supported with hot meals, shelter, hygiene kits, fans to keep shelters cool over the summer months, and other basic necessities.
All of this has been made possible by the generous donations of people like you.
Much work remains to be done in recovering and rebuilding from the devastation, an effort that will take many years to complete.
You can support our Türkiye/Syria Earthquake Appeal here:
