Their Royal Highnesses today [9 March 2023] visited Hayes Muslim Centre to thank those involved in the aid effort and local fundraisers who have helped communities affected by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
After the initial two earthquakes on Monday February 6, a third earthquake hit two weeks on with a magnitude of 6.4 in Hatay in Turkey, followed by an aftershock of 5.8, causing more buildings to collapse in Turkey and Syria. It is estimated that more than 50,000 people have now died and colossal damage has been caused to housing, infrastructure, schools, and hospitals. The UN estimates that 10.1 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. [OCHA]
In response on 9 February, The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched the Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal, which now totals more than £121 million thanks to the generosity of the UK public. The total includes donations from Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort and Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as £5 million matched by the UK Government through the UK Aid Match scheme.
The funds are already providing urgent relief for people affected by the earthquakes. DEC charities such as Action Against Hunger have been supporting the relief efforts in Turkey by deploying emergency response teams in affected locations and supporting local partner organizations like Support to Life. The charity has been distributing shelter, heaters, tents and hygiene items and has built a community kitchen on a football pitch.
Their Royal Highnesses also met with representatives from DEC member charities, including Alison McNulty, Operations Director from Action Against Hunger.
During the visit The Prince and Princess met with representatives from the Hayes Muslim Centre as well who, through bucket collections and other donations after prayers, have raised over £25,000 for DEC’s Turkey-Syria appeal including over £17,000 raised on the first day.
Together they discussed with Their Royal Highnesses the impact of the disaster on vulnerable groups, such as children and older people and the importance of the incoming aid that is being provided including shelter, food and vital trauma care.
Finally, The Prince and Princess met other communities who have made considerable efforts to fundraise as part of the appeal. This included the Turkish Women’s Association, an organisation based in Richmond, who partnered with the local community and a number of Richmond schools to raise more than £10,000 for the appeal with an event at St Stephen’s Church Primary School at the end of February. Stalls at the event included Turkish coffee, homemade bakes and origami crane making run by pupils from Waldegrave School in Twickenham.
The Prince and Princess of Wales joined two pupils from Waldegrave School; Dila Kaya, 14, Lina Alkutubi, 15, and their teacher Natasha Rustam to help make an origami crane, a symbol of hope and healing during challenging times.
Alison McNulty, Director of Operations at Action Against Hunger UK, said: “Everyone can experience distress following a disaster or an ongoing crisis such as conflict and climate change. However, children are at risk of mental health issues in part due to their inability to understand what is happening.
“At Action Against Hunger we are particularly worried about the responses of women and children (including babies) because of the strong relationship between nutrition and mental health. The impact on children and families is further exacerbated when we consider children, like in Syria, have endured multiple crises – the earthquake being the latest.”
Dr Yeliz Atik, one of the organisers from the Turkish Families in Richmond said: “When we heard about the devastating earthquake, we felt compelled to assist those affected. We started to collect aid to dispatch to Türkiye via trucks and planes, but logistical challenges in the earthquake zone forced us to discontinue sending goods. One of our team, Fulya Sensu, inspired us by saying “If you can’t send it, you can sell it,” which motivated us to involve the local community, schools, and businesses and fundraise.
“With DEC’s collaboration, we have been able to reach and provide aid to those impacted by the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria and we plan to hold more fundraising events in Richmond in the future.”
Dila Kaya, 14, from Waldegrave School said: “From a very young age, I used to watch cranes when they were migrating. My mother always says that cranes have a very long life span and bring blessings and peace to the land they fly over. I want to believe that this is true.
“Thinking about cranes always made me feel very good. The night of the earthquake, when I was very sad, I remembered the story of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, which I read when I was very young. It said that anyone who made 1,000 cranes would have one wish granted.
“I knew friends of my age were trapped under the rubble for hours. Many of my friends had lost relatives, mothers and grandfathers. We started folding cranes and praying all night long. We still continue to fold cranes. Because we need more birds and prayers for our wish.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
About Action Against Hunger
For more information or interviews with Action Against Hunger spokespeople, contact David on press@actionagainsthunger.org.uk or 0208293 6130 to arrange.
Action Against Hunger is the world’s leading charity stopping life-threatening hunger in its tracks. By training parents and healthcare workers to spot the signs, we get life-saving care to people who need it. Action Against Hunger’s research drives forward understanding of how to predict, prevent and treat life-threatening hunger. With unbeatable knowledge and unstoppable determination, the charity supported more than 26 million people across 51 countries in 2021.
For more information, please visit Action Against Hunger UK’s website or follow Action Against Hunger UK on Twitter and Facebook,LinkedIn, and Instagram.
About the DEC
The DEC brings together 15 leading UK aid charities at times of crisis overseas to raise funds quickly and efficiently. In these times of crisis, people in life-and-death situations need our help and our mission is to save, protect and rebuild lives through effective humanitarian response. The DEC’s 15 member charities are: Action Against Hunger, ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, International Rescue Committee UK, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam GB, Plan International UK, Save the Children UK, Tearfund and World Vision UK.
Fourteen of the DEC’s 15 members are either responding or planning to respond in Turkey and Syria and will receive funds from this appeal. Some may work through trusted local partners, such as Action Against Hunger.
How to donate:
- Online: Action Against Hunger UK
About the DEC: The DEC brings together 15 leading UK aid charities at times of crisis overseas to raise funds quickly and efficiently. In these times of crisis, people in life-and-death situations need our help and our mission is to save, protect and rebuild lives through effective humanitarian response. The DEC’s 15 member charities are: Action Against Hunger, ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, International Rescue Committee UK, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam GB, Plan International UK, Save the Children UK, Tearfund and World Vision UK.
Fourteen of the DEC’s 15 members are either responding or planning to respond in Turkey and Syria and will receive funds from this appeal. Some may work through trusted local partners. They are Action Against Hunger, ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, International Rescue Committee UK, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam GB, Save the Children UK, Tearfund and World Vision UK.
Hayes Muslim Centre – is a vibrant and multi-ethnic community where people gather for prayers, worship, education and seminars, share information and advice from service providers, host tours for schools and visitors, inter-faith events and much more. The Hayes Muslim Centre has also supported DEC appeals in the past including the Pakistan Floods appeal and the Afghanistan crisis appeal in 2021.
UK Aid Match – Through UK Aid Match the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) gives the British public the opportunity to have a say in how the UK aid budget is spent whilst boosting the impact of the very best British charities to change and save the lives of some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.
UK Aid Match has increased the impact of a number of DEC appeals to help those in need around the world, including most recently Pakistan Floods Appeal and Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, both in 2022. The UK matched up to £25 million of public donations to DEC’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal – the largest commitment ever made to a DEC appeal through UK Aid Match.
Enquiries about UK Aid Match and UK Government support for Turkey/Syria should be directed to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Newsdesk. Please email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk