Big-hearted families, community groups and businesses in Bahrain are rallying round to help the survivors of earthquake-hit Türkiye and Syria.
Collection campaigns are taking place across the country to receive warm blankets, winter clothing and a variety of supplies.
Thousands have been killed, injured and left homeless after two earthquakes crippled central Türkiye and northwest Syria on February 6, followed by subsequent aftershocks.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shortly afterwards declared a state of emergency in 10 provinces. The kingdom’s embassy heard the call and issued a donation drive to aid those in need and Bahrain’s registered and unregistered charity groups were quickly on the case to offer support.
“The Pakistani Women’s Association (PWA) is extremely saddened by the devastation in Türkiye,” said Shahmeen Islam, president of the registered organisation that has been committed to supporting humanitarian causes in Bahrain for more than 23 years.
“In the wake of such a huge calamity, our members aim to assist and collect new and unused items that can aid in relief work and donating it to the embassy for its campaign.”
The Turkish Embassy, located in Bu Ashira, launched an aid-in-kind campaign to collect and deliver essential supplies to those who have lost homes and all their possessions.
Those who would like to donate, like PWA, can drop off boxes with a list of contents from 9am to 4pm.
The aid material must be unused and suitable for winter conditions, like clothing for adults and children, including coats, boots, gloves, scarves and underwear.
Supplies like boxes of canned food, baby formula, diapers and hygiene products would also be welcomed.
Other equipment such as tents, sleeping bags, gas cylinders, flashlights and generators would also help save lives during the bitter winter weather.
Also joining the appeal is the unregistered charity called ‘A Box of Goodness’. The community crusaders have shared a post on its Instagram account letting people know that they will be collecting winter clothing, non-perishable food items, diapers, sanitary towels and clean footwear to pass on to the embassy.
People can drop off their donations in Juffair, Saar and Arad. The group’s collection drive runs until Sunday.
And, the Kaaf Humanitarian organisation launched a campaign to collect monetary and material donations that will be sent directly to those impacted and displaced by the earthquakes.
“Given the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis caused by the latest earthquake that has hit Türkiye, Syria and Lebanon, Kaaf Humanitarian has pledged its relief efforts towards those impacted by the recent devastating natural disaster,” said the executive manager of charity affairs, Tariq Taha AlShaikh,
“We are currently accepting material donations including winter clothes, warm footwear (shoes/ boots), tents, blankets, sleeping bags, flashlights, power banks, canned food, baby diapers, baby formula, women’s sanitary pads and baby items.”
The Bahrain Trust Foundation has also unveiled a collection campaign where people can donate similar items, as well as medical supplies, in boxes with the contents labelled to the Safeya Ali Kanoo Hub for Arts and Handicrafts. The deadline for donations is Saturday by 5pm. All donations will then be passed on to the embassy.
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