February 2023 Earthquake: Some Humanitarian Medical Aid Groups
Humanitarian aid is desperately needed in the face of the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Syria is unfortunately left without any direct US aid due to US sanctions against the Assad government. There are many people calling for lifting of the sanctions, but it’s hard to imagine Washington would change course. Below is a list of vetted aid organizations who are already involved and need support if you are able to consider helping.
Project HOPE – U.S.-based international humanitarian aid nonprofit. It has deployed emergency response teams to Turkey and Syria and set up a disaster relief fund.
Doctors Without Borders – staff is providing medical supplies and support to 23 hospitals treating earthquake victims in Idlib and Aleppo in Syria. It started a donation page for its earthquake recovery efforts.
Turkish Red Crescent; Syrian Red Crescent – Both organizations are members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, an international network of disaster relief agencies. Red Crescent teams in both Turkey and Syria began helping with search, recovery and aid efforts on Monday. Via Twitter, Turkish Red Crescent has asked for donations. Syrian Red Crescent did not have a donation page set up Monday.
Syrian American Medical Society – SAMS has for years provided medical assistance to victims of war in northwestern Syria. The group has set up a quake relief fund and its teams are currently providing earthquake relief.
International Blue Crescent Relief & Development Foundation – has offices in Gaziantep, Turkey, near the epicenter of the quake, and is working to dispatch teams to the affected communities in both Turkey and Syria.
Jewish Federations of North America set up a disaster response relief fund to help aid victims of the quake. The organization has in the past helped respond to natural disasters in the United States and abroad.
The White Helmets, officially known as Syria Civil Defense, is a volunteer organization that operates in parts of opposition-controlled Syria and in Turkey.