Earthquake in Syria and Turkey

by Fondazione La Stampa Specchio dei tempi onlus
Earthquake in Syria and Turkey
Earthquake in Syria and Turkey
Earthquake in Syria and Turkey
Earthquake in Syria and Turkey
Earthquake in Syria and Turkey
Earthquake in Syria and Turkey
Earthquake in Syria and Turkey
Earthquake in Syria and Turkey

Project Report | Dec 16, 2024
One year after the earthquake in Turkey

By Angelo Conti | Specchio dei tempi

One year after the earthquake in Turkey


Specchio dei tempi's commitment

First the discotheque turned into an emergency dormitory, then the Aina village in Antioch, the prefabricated houses in Latakia in Syria, thousands and thousands of food parcels, health care, even specialised health care, support for those still living in tents.

What shook the province of Antioch in Turkey and the northernmost part of Syria exactly one year ago was one of the most violent earthquakes (magnitude 7.7) ever recorded in the world. The combination of two tremors within a very short period of time makes it the most destructive ever recorded. As evidenced by the estimated 57,000 dead (hundreds of bodies have not yet been recovered under the piles of rubble).

The consequence of the double quake was the almost widespread collapse of all kinds of buildings over an area of a hundred kilometres in diameter, and major damage throughout the region. Specchio dei tempi immediately took action by launching a subscription that raised €526.391.

The very first phase of the intervention was aimed at finding shelter for some 500 displaced persons in Defne, a suburb of Antioch, also in view of the harsh winter temperatures. Among the very few artefacts that remained intact was a discotheque-wedding hall, which had withstood the tremors thanks to its reinforced concrete construction and its single-storey development. It was rented out and converted into a dormitory for displaced persons and a base of operations for the supply of medicines, clothes, foodstuffs and comforts. At the same time, a canteen was opened and, shortly afterwards, an outdoor facility was built as an after-school/leisure centre. Also in an emergency, a project was identified for the construction of prefabricated buildings in neighbouring Syria, near the city of Latakia: here, given the restrictions placed by the local government on the intervention of Western bodies, it was decided to operate through the Swiss NGO Terres des Hommes.
The solution of the former Antioch discotheque could not be definitive and so, in agreement with the Turkish government, an earthquake village was built in the hills west of the old town. Here, 65 container-houses were built, each able to accommodate one family. Today there are more than 250 guests in the village (which the people wanted to call ‘Aina’, which means Mirror (Specchio) in Turkish, in recognition of the foundation's efforts). Here too, a canteen has been set up, a camp kitchen installed and a food store opened, as well as a clinic for medical and dental examinations and treatment.

Alongside the management of the village Aina has also developed an activity to support those who still have no roof: ‘The cold and rain make life dramatic for those who still live in tents,’ explains Josuè Jimenez, who leads the Remar volunteers on behalf of Specchio dei tempi, ‘especially because the water turns the base of the tents into mud. It is therefore necessary to create a kind of light flooring that acts as an effective cavity with the outside. This is while waiting for everyone to have a roof, precarious as you like but at least able to protect from the rain'.

In the coming months, the main focus of Specchio dei tempi's activities will be in the village of Aina: setting up the canteen, preparing meals for displaced people (using the camp kitchen), managing the after-school activities and the play area, and providing daily medical and nursing services, while in the rest of the area it will continue to distribute hundreds of food parcels every week to the many families still living in tents. The foundation has the resources to guarantee these activities until the end of the summer. Any further donations will make it possible to extend assistance in an area where the homeless still number in the hundreds of thousands and where the resumption of a normal life will certainly take many years.

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

May 6, 2024
First 2024 months Foundation's activities update

By Giuliana Girino | Communication and Fundraising leader

Jan 15, 2024
Last months Foundation's activities update

By Giuliana Girino | Communication and Fundraising leader

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.

Sign up for updates

Organization Information

Fondazione La Stampa Specchio dei tempi onlus

Location: Torino, Italia - Italy
Website:
Facebook: Facebook Page
Twitter: @specchiotempi
Project Leader:
Lucia Gallo
Torino , Italia Italy
$4,766 raised of $50,000 goal
 
28 donations
$45,234 to go
Donate Now

Help raise money!

Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.

Start a Fundraiser

Learn more about GlobalGiving

Teenage Science Students
Vetting +
Due Diligence

Snorkeler
Our
Impact

Woman Holding a Gift Card
Give
Gift Cards

Young Girl with a Bicycle
GlobalGiving
Guarantee

Get incredible stories, promotions, and matching offers in your inbox

WARNING: Javascript is currently disabled or is not available in your browser. GlobalGiving makes extensive use of Javascript and will not function properly with Javascript disabled. Please enable Javascript and refresh this page.