In the early morning hours of Monday, the 6th, people in the middle east woke up to a large-scale earthquake that was felt in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Egypt. As we absorbed the shock and fear we started discovering the huge victims' toll in both Turkey and Syria. Thousands of buildings collapsed causing hundreds or maybe thousands of deaths.

This was a strong earthquake of 7.8 magnitude that hit central Turkey and the North West of Syria. It led to a mass destruction in the buildings causing, so far, hundreds of deaths and injuries, the numbers and the real impact is not clear yet, since rescue missions are short of equipment and resources.

Our teams on the ground are safe, however they are all traumatized and still in the streets or sheltering in mosques and schools. All of this happened while the affected areas are already witnessing extreme weather conditions and below zero temperatures.

We are fundraising to support our teams in southern Turkey to respond to the emergency situation. The main needs according to our field teams are winterization kits (Blankets, Mattresses), food parcels, and heating material. In addition our team is preparing shelters to help our people find a roof and whatever safety is left for them. Furthermore our team is planning to support other local actors in debris removal and rescue efforts.

Your support will help us elevate the disaster effect from already traumatized and destroyed lives. Please donate, spread the word, and reach out if you are able to help B&Z, we have a solid track record in emergency responses in Lebanon and in Syria.

Any contribution is great. Please be generous and spread the word.