As the death toll mounts across Turkey and Syria following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake and 7.5 magnitude aftershock on Monday, Feb. 6, disaster relief is pouring in, from governments and organizations around the world, including Springfield’s very own Convoy of Hope.
Known as the Kahramanmaraş earthquake, named after the city near the epicenter in Turkey, the disaster has killed more than 20,000 people, injured tens of thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands across the region.
At 11:14 a.m. on Feb. 6, Convoy of Hope announced they would begin sending aid as quickly as possible.
“This is a massive disaster,” said Ethan Forhetz, the national spokesperson for Convoy of Hope, in an interview with the Daily Citizen. “This is going to take people from around the world – groups like Convoy of Hope – coming together to bring relief to these people. Many of them have lost everything.”
Convoy of Hope has sent funding for immediate relief, supplies on the way
For the most immediate impact, Convoy of Hope initially sent funding to their partners in the region, who would use that to buy resources and supplies to aid in the recovery effort.
“That’s the fastest way to be able to get supply and then they buy it in-country and get it to where it’s needed,” Forhetz said.
Since then, they have begun compiling and sending over their own shipments as clearances have allowed them.
“We’re working to shelter people as well and send over supplies along those lines as best we can,” Forhetz said. “There’s a lot to do, there’s a lot of need as we see the death toll sadly rise on what seems to be an hourly basis.”
While Convoy of Hope doesn’t have any personnel on the ground in the affected areas, the disaster services team is considering sending some people over as they assess the best ways to help, according to Forhetz.
In addition to food, water and heat, Convoy of Hope lists clothing, tents, sleeping bags, diapers, baby formula and fuel as some of the most crucial items needed at this time.
“They’ve lost everything,” Forhetz said. “It’s winter time there, it’s a very, very difficult time… There’s things that we take for granted every day of our lives, but whenever they’re gone suddenly, like they are for these poor people, you understand the importance of having those things.”
While Convoy of Hope is regularly responding to disasters — they responded to 75 last year alone and, according to Charity Navigator, Disaster Response was their third largest program in 2021 — a significant amount of their operations address a variety of other global issues.
Between their Women’s Empowerment Programs, agricultural training and school feeding programs, among other initiatives, Convoy of Hope provides aid in a lot of different ways.
Forhetz encouraged people to donate to Convoy of Hope’s Crisis Relief Fund. Additionally, The Syrian American Medical Society, Doctors Without Borders and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, among a slew of other humanitarian organizations are accepting donations to help fund their relief efforts.
