HEKS provides emergency aid for those affected by the earthquake in Syria

The destructive earthquake on 6 February has plunged people on the Turkish-Syrian border into even greater hardship. The situation is particularly precarious in Syria, which, after almost twelve years of conflict, is in an ongoing humanitarian crisis. HEKS/EPER’s response was swift. Just hours after the earthquake, local partner organisations organised accommodation and emergency help for thousands of families. HEKS/EPER will also support the population in the longer term with the reconstruction of infrastructure and the economy.

Sanctions and a lack of reconstruction assistance have weakened northern Syria. The economy is in tatters, the power supply is insufficient, the infrastructure is in a wretched state, and many buildings were and are in danger of collapsing. Diseases such as cholera are spreading and many people are starving. The earthquake on 6 February has therefore hit the region all the harder. About five million people have lost their homes and are defenceless and at the mercy of the winter cold.

HEKS/EPER set its first emergency help measures in motion just hours after the earthquake in northern Syria. The Armenian Evangelical Church and the Compassion Protestant Society (CPS), with which HEKS/EPER has cooperated in northern Syria for years, have opened churches and schools to families. Every day around 1,200 people, who have lost their homes due to the earthquake or are not able to go back to their damaged houses for safety reasons, find protection there and are provided with food, hygiene products and medical help.

Reconstruction of bakeries and financial support for vulnerable people

In the areas affected by the earthquake, many damaged bakeries had to stop production or reduce their production levels, which has had serious consequences in terms of food security. HEKS/EPER is planning to carry out repairs on four of the hardest hit bakeries as quickly as possible so that they can resume production.

In addition, an ongoing project of the Armenian Evangelical Church is being extended in the short term. In Aleppo, particularly vulnerable people are being supported with cash so that they can afford urgently needed items such as food, hygiene products or medical supplies.

Assessments about expanding the humanitarian aid are running at full speed. HEKS/EPER is in close contact with its local partner organisations with the aim of checking on people’s concrete needs.

The emergency aid is only the beginning. HEKS/EPER will also support the population in the reconstruction of infrastructure and the economy in the longer term. We urgently need your support so that we can stand by the sorely afflicted people in this difficult time.

Donation account: IBAN CH37 0900 0000 8000 1115 1 with the note "Earthquake in Syria".
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