While the number of victims continues to rise, caring for the survivors in the earthquake area is a major challenge. Even from BW, people try everything to help.
After the devastating earthquake in the border region of Turkey and Syria, the rescue work continues. People from Baden-Württemberg are also trying to help. The number of registered fatalities has now risen to 22,000 (as of Friday, February 10, 5:15 p.m.), tens of thousands are believed to still be in the rubble, and it is extremely cold. And yet helpers on site still find survivors. A person buried alive in the Turkish earthquake area was rescued early on Friday afternoon after more than 100 hours.
Serkan Eren from the Stuttgart aid organization STELP is on site in the earthquake area in the Turkish-Syrian border area.
On February 9, he reports from Antakya on SWR television about the rescue work under difficult conditions:
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After the rescue, the supply: how to help the people on site?
In addition to the rescue work, taking care of the survivors on site is the next challenge. Aid supplies are on their way to the earthquake area from all over the world. In Baden-Württemberg, too, volunteers and people who have relatives in the earthquake areas are collecting donations in kind. The willingness to donate is so great that the transport of all the boxes requires some logistics.
Deniz Kirals has been on the phone almost continuously for the past few days. Since Tuesday he and his helpers have been organizing donations in kind from the Alevi community in Stuttgart. The shock is still in their bones. Many have family and friends in the affected areas. They want to help as soon as possible.
Fadime Onay is one of the helpers. She says: “We know that people are not feeling well: I keep hearing: ‘My aunt says it’s cold, it’s cold, the children are cold. My little 7-year-old cousin says: I’m cold, I have a headache .”
You have collected a lot, but there has been a freeze on acceptance since Wednesday. Five trucks from the Stuttgart region are full and have made their way to Turkey without these boxes.
Deniz Kiral wants to wait and see whether the help arrives. Customs, border crossings, on-site coordination: many questions remain unanswered: “The latest news was that when the trucks arrive at the bottom, they are accepted directly by the civil protection agency. But we don’t know – where do things go?”
Deniz Kiral’s phone rings almost continuously on Thursday. Above all, members of the Alevi community in Stuttgart announced that they would like to bring donations.
SWR
Does the help arrive? An institute examines relief organizations
Anyone who helps wants their help to arrive. Numerous organizations and private individuals are calling for donations in kind, especially on social networks. But which of them are serious? The German Central Institute for Social Issues checks aid organizations for their trustworthiness, awards a seal of approval – and recommends donating money.
Burkhard Wilke is the managing director of the German Central Institute for Social Issues. He explains that monetary donations can be used more flexibly than donations in kind. “You are faster on site and there are no transport costs.” Local initiatives are a good address for donations in kind. There, where you know each other personally and trust is high.
The need is great in the Turkish-Syrian earthquake area. According to the aid organization STELP eV from Stuttgart, anyone who wants to help should better donate money.
Helpers from BW hope not to be left with donations in kind
Deniz Kiral and his helpers from the Alevi community in Stuttgart are now trying to privately organize a truck for the remaining boxes. As soon as they have permission from the Turkish consulate, they plan to leave.
He hopes that he will not end up sitting on the donations in kind that are so urgently needed in the earthquake area. Everyone wanted to help, want their donation to reach them. If you then face obstacles, it’s a shock. Kiral also says: monetary donations are best.
If you want to donate for the people in Turkey and Syria, you will find aid organizations and bank details here.
In Rottenburg, too, a Turkish grocer called for donations via social networks – but after just one day his warehouse was full. The city helped out with additional premises, but these are now bursting at the seams, according to the dealer. Therefore, only monetary donations are accepted in Rottenburg.
The volunteers at the Reutlingen Auto Center “Autogalerie” are familiar with similar problems. In the meantime, only baby and toddler items or hygiene utensils should be handed in here. Financial support is of course always welcome, says one volunteer. With the money donated so far, 100 high-quality power generators were sent to the crisis area on Thursday.