Update: Along with 14 other leading charities, we have now launched Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal has now launched. Donate now.
There are days I hate my job and love it too. Today is one.
I sit in front of rolling news coverage about Monday’s massive earthquake in Turkey (now Türkiye) and Syria with mixed feelings. From horror at the rising death toll (heading to 10,000 as I write this), to moments of joy when an 8 year old is pulled from the rubble after 52 hours. I see mounting frustration from families waiting for help, and anger from those who point out all the broken promises about enforcing building codes and early warning systems that would have prevented at least some of the suffering.
At the same time, I’m tracking the emergency plans being rolled out by our Save the Children International teams, checking what they most need from me. Bluntly, they need money, so we’ve released $2 million and launched a public appeal for more, centred on our Children’s Emergency Fund. This Fund is the bedrock of our humanitarian work. It’s flexible, so donations get to where they’re most needed, quickly.
The other thing the teams need is for me and others to stay out of the way, so they can do their job. I’m immensely proud to be part of the global Save the Children family and our network of volunteers and partners, especially local partners who will lead the response. Our role, every day, is to put children’s needs and rights first. From the cost of living crisis in the UK, to children caught up in wars like Yemen or Ukraine, and students walking miles to school in Malawi, and now this earthquake. This is what we do.
As the media point out, the first hours and days are a critical window to help those trapped or hurt, so speed is essential. It’s freezing, so warm blankets and shelter are vital as well as food and water. Our Emergency Health Unit team of medical professionals are on standby to go or can provide support remotely if that’s better. As the crisis unfolds, we’ll also want to provide professional counselling to children and their carers to help mend invisible scars. Then there’s the boring but important stuff – the logistics of moving staff and stuff around. The earthquake has hit hard in an area we’ve been using as a base to support families in North West Syria. I’m worried about our staff. I’m also worried how we will get access across the border, with some routes now blocked. It’s unimaginable that these Syrian families are facing this trauma, on top of everything else they’ve dealt with since the conflict started nearly 12 years ago.
In the hours, days and weeks to come, we will do as much as we can, the best that we can, for as long as we can. Even when the news cameras move on, and you are thinking about other things. This isn’t about charity, it’s solidarity.
I hate what is happening. But I love knowing that we can make a difference, however small.
