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242 372Türkiye/Syria Earthquakes – Ibrahim’s Story
17 August, 2023
“I felt the walls shaking and the doors breaking,” says Ibrahim. “I rushed to my wife and kids to wake them up. Some of the bricks in the ceiling started to fall down on our heads. Luckily, we live on the first floor, so we got out fast.”
Ibrahim is one of the millions of people affected by the 7.8 earthquake that struck Türkiye in the early hours of 6 February 2023. Later that day, a secondary 7.7 earthquake struck 95km north-east from the first. The devastation caused by the earthquakes affected central and southern Türkiye and northern and western Syria.
ADRA’s response to the earthquake was immediate
“We took a shelter in a mosque nearby,” Ibrahim says. “We were very shocked and confused…we could not believe that we lost our house. After a few days, we went to (a collective shelter) and we have been here ever since.”
Ibrahim and his family lost their home in Syria to the earthquake. Months later, they are still homeless. Losing his home and his job to the earthquake was tough; Ibrahim had to rely on the kindness of others to get by and provide for his family.
Ibrahim and his family have been receiving food assistance from ADRA
“During our stay here, we’ve been relying on the food baskets that we receive from organisations, but we prefer the one that ADRA distributes due to its good quality,” he says.
As well as providing food hampers, ADRA has started a work-for-cash program which is helping to employ internally displaced persons. Ibrahim is now working under ADRA’s RELIEF program as a cleaner, and it has made a world of difference.
“When I received my first salary from ADRA, I was very happy and immediately got some stuff that my family needed,” Ibrahim says. “I also gave my son money to buy books so he can prepare for the exams.
“I’m very grateful that I got to work for ADRA, I can work with dignity and provide for my family.”
Major disasters like the Türkiye earthquakes can take years to recover from. ADRA continues to support those who were affected in a variety of ways, such as through food support and work-for-cash programs. To read more about ADRA’s response, visit adra.org.au/syria-turkey-response.