ShelterBox Aid Saves Lives

Two powerful earthquakes and continuous damaging aftershocks have destroyed buildings and homes in southeast Turkey over the past month, leaving thousands of families displaced.

ShelterBox Response Team member Tony Williams (UK) found a mother and her child sleeping rough in the cold streets of Van, the city that has suffered the most damage.

‘I came across Mrs. Karman with her baby boy sleeping under bits of cardboard amongst the rubble-filled streets here,’ he said. ‘We moved them immediately to one of the camps ShelterBox has set up in the city with the Turkish Red Crescent Society (IFRC).’

Away from the harsh weather conditions, Mrs. Karman and her son are now living in a ShelterBox tent with emergency supplies to hand including warm blankets, a cooking stove and utensils, a water filter and a children’s activity pack.

Camps have also been set up for families in affected villages surrounding Van.

‘The tent is really warm and now we all feel safe,’ said Ennus, a nine-year-old recipient. ‘Thank you ShelterBox.’

Immediate response

ShelterBox immediately responded to the first earthquake on 23 October by deploying a ShelterBox Response Team to Van to assess need there. Since then, 870 ShelterBoxes have been distributed and over 10,000 sets of hats, gloves and scarves have been sent for children and adults.

SRT member Ian Neal (UK) is in Van and has also been helping others not directly affected by the earthquakes. Being a qualified firefighter, Ian was the first to respond to a car crash that occurred outside the hotel where the ShelterBox Response Team is staying on 19 November. He instantly began working on stabilising the driver who allegedly suffered a serious head injury until the ambulance arrived to take over.