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The catastrophe in Turkey and Syria following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake is mobilising the whole world to manage aid to the affected areas and to try to collect as many donations and materials as possible to send to the two countries and distribute them among the hundreds of thousands of people affected. In Spain, both the Turkish embassy and numerous NGOs have launched an appeal for people to cooperate with whatever they can. They have also specified which items are most needed and where you can deliver them. Here is a breakdown of all the collection points.
Embassy of Turkey in Madrid
The Turkish Embassy in Madrid is continuously informing about all the donations that can be made and the indications on how to carry them out. In terms of food, they are mainly asking for non-perishable and canned food. In addition, it is also vitally important to receive baby formula. The embassy stresses that please do not donate liquids, pork products or medicines. Other basic necessities include nappies, hygiene and cleaning products, warm clothing, tents and mats, cookers, heaters and electric generators, among others.
To facilitate the work and to ensure that all donations are useful, the embassy has also communicated some indications. For example, they advise that the material should be placed in boxes that are not too large and that the contents of each container should be labelled. And to take into account the winter conditions in both countries.
As for the collection points proposed by the embassy, in addition to its own headquarters, at Calle de Rafael Calvo 18, there are also the Hard Rock Hotel Madrid (Ronda de Atocha, 17) and THY Madrid Deposu, in the Air Cargo Centre at Barajas airport, Parcela 2.4 Nave 7. The opening hours are from 09:30h to 17:00h. They have also made available a bank account where people can make donations to be able to buy all the necessary products.
NGOs are also taking action on the situation
For its part, the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECID) promotes more financial donations, as in-kind donations could overwhelm the logistical capacities of humanitarian actors.
Numerous Spanish NGOs are working to send as much aid as possible to the affected areas. In addition to food and clothing collections, many have created different channels through which you can contribute your grain of sand in the form of a financial donation. Médecins Sans Frontières has set up a page to donate to the Emergency Fund. Cruz Roja has published all the channels available to offer help: through the web, by calling 900104971, by sending a Bizum to 33512 or by sending a text message with the word “TERREMOTO” to 38088.
On the other hand, the Emergency Committee has set up its protocols for action after the earthquake. In response to this catastrophe, all the NGOs that form part of the Emergency Committee (SOS Children’s Villages, Educo, Doctors of the World, Oxfam Intermón, Plan International and World Vision) have organised their emergency response in all the locations where they are present in order to provide shelter, nutrition, education, water and sanitation and health care, either directly or through local partners. Through this website, you can access all the information you need to make your donation.
Many public figures are also stepping up to offer help, such as chef Jose Andrés, who has travelled to Turkey with his foundation World Central Kitchen.