A month and a half after the strong earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria, a brief report on the contributions collected by the Emergency Coordination of the Focolare Movement and a look at a first intervention phase launched in Syria in February, which will end in August.
On 7 February 2023, the Emergency Coordination of the Focolare Movement started an extraordinary fundraising in support of the population of Turkey and Syria, through the ONLUS Action for a United World (AMU) and Action for New Families (AFN).
Currently, the contributions collected amount to approximately 580,000 euros and a first instalment of 100,000 euros has already been sent to some Syrian areas affected by the earthquake.
The intervention, specifically, will help about 2,500 people and indirectly reach between 5,000 to 10,000 people in the three earthquake-affected areas of Aleppo, Latakia and Hama.
Here are some examples of interventions that will be carried out and which concern different assistance actions:
ASSISTANCE TO PRIMARY NEEDS
– Provision of basic necessities – food, blankets, medicines, clothes, etc. – , to people who are displaced and housed in makeshift accommodation centres (churches, mosques…).
– Economic aid provision of medical services and mobility aids post-hospitalisation, medication,physical and psychological treatment sessions for the physically and psychologically.
– – Distribution of food parcels to needy families (in collaboration with other organisations).
– Economic support to small artisans to buy back or repair lost equipment and lost work tools in order to restart their work.
REHABILITATION OF EARTHQUAKE-DAMAGED HOMES
– Covering the costs of inspections and technical assessment examinations of the stability of buildings by technical commissions of engineers.
– Economic support to families for consolidation work on the foundations of buildings and for the renovation of damaged homes.
– Coverage of costs for the purchase of work tools for craftsmen (blacksmiths, plumbers, carpenters, electricians) so that they can resume their work in damaged homes
– Economic support for the payment of rental costs for those who have lost their homes or need a temporary residence due to the unsuitability of their homes.
POST EARTHQUAKE PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT
– Coverage of home care costs for elderly people living alone or left alone.
– Implementation of collective activities and initiatives for group psychological support, particularly at temporary residence centres
– Implementation of training workshops on psychological support to provide tools and methodologies to relief workers and volunteers.
A cura di Maria Grazia Berretta focolare.org