The earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria on Feb. 6 devastated the lives of millions of people. Although the Scalabrinian Missionaries are not present in the region, in 2019, a group of ASCS youth volunteers set out from Gaziantep, to travel the Balkan Route (Unbroken Humanity Project), where hundreds of migrants travel in hopes of reaching Europe’s borders.

During that journey, ASCS met many refugee families from the affected area, whom we have also supported during the Covid19 Pandemic. Since the tragedy occurred, we have been in contact with those families. After a dialogue we had with local churches in Turkey and Syria, we tried to figure out how we could concretely support the many refugee families and local people affected by these earthquakes.

The needs are multiple because these people have nothing left. For this reason, we have decided to initiate a Fundraising Campaign that can support local churches in providing food, assistance, clothing, basic necessities, medicines and perhaps be able to contribute, although in a small way, to the reconstruction phase as well.

Although some time has passed since the earthquake, we are aware that emergencies such as this one are not likely to return anytime soon. Everyone’s support will therefore make a difference in concretely supporting our brothers and sisters, especially migrants and refugees, who were already living in extreme poverty and lost everything.