Helping Earthquake Victims in Turkey

Dear friends and supporters,

I am Jan Akalin, ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/akalin/ ). I have been working on the frontlines of earthquake relief for almost three months now.

The in view is the ancient town of Antakya in the province of Hatay, also known as the biblical city of Antioch. The buildings along the flattened street date back to the 7th century.

The city of Hatay in Turkey recently experienced a devastating earthquake that has left many families and communities in a state of shock and despair. The earthquake has caused widespread damage, with homes and buildings collapsing and many people losing their lives.

Many, like myself, are here every day on-ground at the earthquake site helping the victims with rebuilding their lives, but I've quickly realised that our efforts are not enough. I have been receiving so many messages from people who want to chip in any way possible so I am launching this GoFundMe campaign. Our goal is to raise funds that will go towards providing essential supplies such as food, water, and shelter to those who have been affected by the earthquake. We also aim to help with the long-term recovery efforts by assisting with the rebuilding of homes and communities.

In the first instance, I am looking to raise £10,000 which will help us fix/rebuild at least 50 broken ovens in the area and distribute 20,000 free bread, where families are living together in communes. It'll also help pay for supplies and salaries towards the production of bread to feed the families in the area for 3-6 months.

After receiving the funds in my bank account, I plan to use them to purchase 50 new clay ovens made by local women, flour, and pay wages for women to produce the bread. I will also use the funds to cover the logistics of distributing the clay ovens, the free bread and other materials needed like 3.5 tons of flour, 15 kg yeast, and 5 kg of olive oil.

The people of Hatay are in urgent need of our help, and any contribution you can make, no matter how small, will go a long way in providing much-needed support to those affected by this disaster. Your donation will make a real difference in the lives of those impacted by this tragic event.

We understand that times are tough for many people right now, but every little act of kindness and any amount of contribution will go a long way in helping the people of Hatay recover and rebuild their lives.

Thank you for your support and for considering this worthy cause. Together, we can make a difference and help those who need it the most.