Queenstown's help for earthquake victims

MyFundAction on the ground in Turkey. Photo: Supplied

Another appeal with Queenstown links is helping victims of the Turkey-Syria earthquake.

MyFundAction international office manager Dira Jamaluddin, of Queenstown, says their charitable trust, with branches throughout Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand has raised $300,000 in the past week, with a target of $1million.

MyFundAction owns a bread factory in the south of Turkey, near Syria, which was fortunately not damaged in the quakes last week. 

"We are distributing bread from there to quake victims to help them," Dira says.

Her organisation had also responded to the initial North Island floods recently, raising $8000 to distribute meals to flood-affected homes.

MyFundAction operates an international youth centre at Remarkables Park, focusing on cultural diversity, and providing a place for local youth representing different cultural backgrounds to grow and learn.

Last week, Queenstown App / Lakes Weekly Bulletin reported that Queenstown-based Orphans Aid International ceo and founder Sue van Schreven launched a massive Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal through the charity’s supporters in NZ and Australia.

That appeal total has now topped has now topped $42,500, with most of the donations coming from NZ.

The death toll from the two devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake and massive aftershock has now passed 41,000 people, with tens of thousands more injured, thousands of collapsed buildings and apartment blocks, and millions affected throughout Turkey and Syria.

That includes around seven million children according to the United Nations. 

"In Turkey, the total number of children living in the 10 provinces hit by the two earthquakes was 4.6 million children. In Syria, 2.5 million children are affected," James Elder, spokesman for the UN children’s agency UNICEF, says.

The organisation fears many thousands of children have been killed.

Sue van Schreven says for those that have survived there will be "overwhelming need in the coming months". Orphans Aid International cares for orphans, and runs homes and programmes to save children and families in vulnerable countries around the world.

"We’re in a good place to help with our strong networks and can reach out to people and organisations already on the ground with orphanages, the newly-orphaned, families and individuals in desperate need.

"While other agencies specialise in that initial emergency response, rescuing any survivors from the rubble, our strength lies in resourcing the people doing the immediate care after that first emergency response," she says.

"I’m expecting there will be an absolute flood of new children, orphans, or those separated from their parents, as well as adults and families needing homes,” she says. “I know we can get the funds to the right people quickly.”

 

Donations to the Orphans Aid International Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal:

Orphans Aid International Westpac 031750 0349476-00

(include the word QUAKE)

or through: www.orphansaidinternational.org/quake

 

Donations to the MyFundAction Turkiye Syria Earthquake Emergency Appeal:

MYFUNDACTION NEW ZEALAND

38 9022 0408008 00

KIWI BANK

SWIFT CODE: KIWINZ22

Ref: Earthquake Aid

or through www.myfundaction.org/campaign/b08-turkiye-syria-earthquake-aid/