January 4, 2024
News
The year of 2023 was a challenging one for Turkey and Syria. On the 6th of February, a catastrophic earthquake struck both countries, claiming the lives of nearly 60,000 people. Caritas Czech Republic immediately started helping by providing food, hygiene kits, clothes and shelter. But our help did not stop there. Let us take you through the most significant achievements of Caritas Czech Republic in Turkey and Syria in 2023.
1. We assisted Turkey and Syria immediately after the earthquake
When the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, we immediately started helping both countries. Together with our partners, we distributed potable water, warm meals as well as food kits and basic kitchen utensils so that the affected families could prepare food even in temporary conditions. Moreover, we provided the people with hygiene kits and necessary psychological aid. The earthquake hit the two states during the winter, leaving many people houseless during the year's cold months. We provided warm winter clothes and safe shelter to the affected people.
2. We provided people affected by the earthquake with shelter and dignified hygienic facilities
We offered immediate, adequate shelter that was especially crucial because of the freezing temperatures. We provided tents as well as accommodation in containers which had built-in toilets and showers. Our aim was to give the affected people a more dignified shelter and ensure adequate sanitation facilities. We were also distributing hygiene products containing essential hygiene items, including feminine hygiene products. Providing sanitation was and still is an absolute priority to avoid the spread of diseases in unhygienic situations. We built latrines and containers for people living in tent cities who suffer the most from the lack of sanitation facilities.
We also helped the people who lost their personal documents in the earthquake to access legal help to start the procedures to get the documents back.
3. We provided psychological aid and activities for children to help them cope with the trauma caused by the earthquake
In the aftermath of the earthquake, we made sure to provide immediate psychological assistance to help people deal with the trauma caused by the devastating tremors. However, our efforts did not stop there. We have also built a playground in one of the container towns in Turkey so that children can play and interact with each other and not become isolated in the formative years of their lives.
4. We still help people affected by the earthquake
After almost a year since the devastating earthquake, Caritas Czech Republic is still supporting the affected people.The help is still essential as hundreds of thousands of people continue to reside in temporary shelters with no other place to go to. We distribute food aid and hygiene kits for the locals to prevent the spread of diseases. Our partners in Syria also organise activities for children to help them cope with the trauma caused by the earthquake.
5. We supported young people in Syria to start up their businesses
In Syria, as part of the country's development, we have also supported young people to set up their own businesses and earn a living in a country where job opportunities are scarce. Thanks to our trainings, young Syrians have learnt the basics of entrepreneurship and financial literacy. We have also provided them with mentoring and start-up grants to get their small businesses up and running.
6. We empowered civil society in northwestern Syria
Since the start of the war in Syria, local civil society organisations have played an important role in providing much needed lifesaving assistance as well as improving the community landscape. The organisations want to be involved in the reconstruction of their country, but often lack the organisational capacity, the know-how to work in the humanitarian and development sectors, and the means to provide assistance. We have been supporting the civil society organisations in northwestern Syria so that they can help effectively. We provided them with mentoring and showed them how to run functional humanitarian and development projects.
7. We created a network of volunteers in Syria
The lack of organisational capacity can be detrimental when providing adequate assistance. In collaboration with our partner organisation Violet, we created a network of NGO volunteers trained to work in the humanitarian and development sectors in Syria. Moreover, thanks to this network, it was possible to deliver aid after the earthquake much quicker and to more people. The volunteers already had significant knowledge about the situation in Syria, so they were able to get involved immediately, helping as many people as possible. Our training allowed the volunteers to reach many more people in a very short time.
The year 2023 was not an easy one for Caritas Czech Republic in Turkey and Syria. Despite the challenges, we were able to help a large number of people and we are determined to continue helping people in need this year as well. Our assistance would not be possible without the contribution of our donors who help us provide help to even more people who need it.
Caritas Czech Republic has been supporting people affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria together with partner organisations Violet, SARD and IBC and thanks to funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and the European Union.
