SYRIA AND TURKIYE EARTHQUAKES: Protect Girls Now

In February 2023, two massive earthquakes - followed by more than 100 aftershocks - created ruin across Syria and Turkiye. Before the earthquakes, more than 15 million people in Syria were already in need of humanitarian aid. The country has grappled with more than 10 years of civil war, and 90% of families are living in poverty.

Your support to Plan's response in Syria is providing girls and their families with the resources they need to rebuild and recover. Because of you, children in Aleppo, Hama, Idlib and Lattakia are being protected and cared for. 

Plan is working with four local partners in Syria until at least February 2024, and aiming to reach 54,000 people living in areas directly affected by the earthquakes. Further steps beyond next February will be assessed as the response evolves. 

Phase 1

The first phase of the response is focused on basic relief, like child protection services for unaccompanied children (which is one of Plan's areas of expertise), as well as providing food and water, clothing and household items. So far:

- 21,750 people have been reached with lifesaving supplies.

 - 4,350 food kits and 4,873 hygiene kits have been  distributed to children and their families.

- 8 showers have been installed in shelters, helping 303 people stay clean and healthy.

Phase 2

The objective of phase two of the response is to rebuild schools, shelters and water systems, provide continued education with temporary education and play centers, and coordinate mental health counseling. To address the needs of adolescent girls, we're also working to provide private bathrooms in shelters for girls, install dividing walls to increase privacy, distribute menstrual health kits and disseminate information on gender-based violence prevention. In the coming months:

- An additional 327 hygiene kits, 100 cleaning kits and six clean water systems will be distributed to shelters.

- Play activities for 1,000 children and parental support sessions for 500 caregivers will be held.

- 600 people will receive mental health and trauma recovery counseling.

- Educational materials will be distributed to 350 children.

In one of the shelters where Plan is providing support, we spoke with Juliana, 18, Carla, 16, and Jacqueline, 16, who shared how their lives have changed. Here's how they describe the earthquakes, in their own words:

"We woke to my mother's voice telling us to get up as there was an earthquake," Carla says, describing the first shocks. "It took me a couple of seconds before realizing that it was true,

I was shaking. I thought it would stop after a few seconds, but it didn't stop. I started crying and shouting and telling my mother, we were going to die."

Carla left her building on her own, barefoot and wearing just her pajamas. "I ran into the street; it was dark and raining," she continues. "I was alone until more people started to come down. ... The first place we went to was the church, which was ready to support us with food and somewhere to sleep."

"Sometimes the [volunteers] come and do an activity with us, "Juliana says. "I am also part of the church scouts as well. If they need any help -for example, if they need someone to give parents a break and play with the younger children -then I do that."

"The situation is very hard and sometimes when I am feeling sad, I study, "Jacqueline says. "Now I just need to feel serenity, and a sense of safety."

"We have been through wars, diseases and everything, "Carla adds. ''But this is different.... They rescued a girl in front of me from under the rubble ... the image of the girl being rescued has stayed with me."