Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
Do more, donate
Do more, donate
Photo by United Nations COVID-19 Response from Unsplash
Fairfield | Culture > News

Turkey Earthquake Updates + How You Can Help

Suzanne Collins Student Contributor, Fairfield University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Fairfield chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

In the early morning of February 6th, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the southeastern region of Turkey and the neighboring region of Syria. While many cities in Turkey experience earthquakes annually due to major tectonic plates adjoining the area, nothing compares to the destruction caused, lives lost, and homelessness the quake has rendered. This most recent earthquake hit the city of Gaziantep, which lies on the East Anatolian Fault. 

Over 50,000 people in Turkey and Syria died, and hundreds remain missing. According to a Reuters article, “160,000 buildings containing 520,000 apartments collapsed or were severely damaged.” With freezing temperatures in the region and hundreds of thousands of survivors without a home, many people have left while others are stuck. 

In the past few weeks since the quake, the rest of Turkey and the world have supported Turkey and Syria in numerous ways. Countries worldwide have sent rescue dogs, doctors and medical personnel, special equipment, and other rescue workers directly after the earthquake. Communities are still collecting donations to bring to Turkey and Syria to support survivors. Donations items in need right now include tents, sleeping bags, winter jackets, baby food, and sanitary napkins. Hundreds of universities around the world have hosted donation drives or fundraisers. Many Turkish Student Associations, including UC Berkeley, Boston University, Harvard, and Emory, have donated tens of thousands of dollars. Here at Fairfield University, The Point Magazine also led a fundraiser for Turkey and Syria earlier in the month. 

Turkey and Syria continue to need support, and it is difficult to find places to donate where you know your money will be used to directly support survivors of the earthquake. Here are ways you can help with the confidence of helping the people of Turkey and Syria.

Where to Donate:

  1. Donate physical items (sleeping bags, baby food, etc.) to Turkish Consulate in NY/NJ
  2. Support a close friend whose family was heavily affected in Antioch, Antakya, Turkey
  3. Fundraiser started by Hailey and Nil Sani, with all donations sent to AHBAP, a reputable organization in Turkey that has continuously shown its dedication and support in humanitarian crises that have affected Turkey in the past.
  4. Venmo Turkish Student Associations…
    1. UC Berkeley TSA: @ucberkeley_tsa
    2. Harvard TSA: @harvard-tsa
    3. Emory TS: @emory-ts

Sources:

Suzanne Collins

Fairfield '26

Suzanne Collins is a first-year student studying marketing at Fairfield University's Dolan School of Business. In her free time, she enjoys playing squash, finding the best matcha spot in town, and trying new cuisines. She hopes to pursue a marketing career in tech or the food and beverage industry, or she will start a company of her own.