After the earthquake of 6 February, 23 people from Bashar's family in Syria were killed or seriously affected.
Bashar and his family in Syria now face the seemingly insurmountable task of tackling all the immediate needs and recovering from it long-term.
To fully recover from the earthquake, a huge amount of money will be needed, but
every tiny bit helps to tackle one small problem at a time, so please support us with
however little you can give.
I met Bashar in Beirut. Bashar is a guy with an engaging smile and grit to spare.
Even though he lived through incredible hardship, having fled from Syria during the war and experiencing a variety of traumas that come with such circumstances, he is always the first to help other people.
I remember when we went to Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon to bring English books to the children or when he gathered more than 5,000 toys to give those children, trying to provide them with a breath of normality. Or when he raised more than $20,000 among friends to help his friend operate.
Bashar now returned to Syria, risking being drafted into military service or facing
criminal charges for fleeing the country to help his family and community who fell victim to the horrible earthquake.
He struggled to ask for help and told me that while he has no problem advocating for
other people's needs and causes, he feels ashamed to ask for help for himself and his cause. No person is more genuine, and I sincerely hope that, for once, Bahsar can be the one who receives help!
- What will the money be used for?
As you can imagine, there are dozens of small and big problems that this tragedy
caused. Emergency health care, identifying deceased loved ones, and burial costs are the most immediate needs.
Bashar's childhood home has collapsed completely, and the houses and apartments
of his adult siblings and extended family are either severely damaged or completely
collapsed.
Many of his family members died or contracted severe injuries. His mother, brother, and grandfather are hospitalized with severe injuries, as are many extended family members. His nephew, his sister's son, contracted severe burns due to a fire that broke out when the house collapsed and urgently
needs special burn treatment.
There is a lack of equipment and medication in the hospitals, often requiring to
find a way to purchase what is needed privately.
Due to the lack of everything, the doctors recommended that some severely injured family members go to a private hospital for adequate treatment.
Bashar's family is currently trying to come up with the necessary funds for transfers to a private hospital. Prices for child-specific care products and medicine are particularly high.
- Why a private fundraiser?
There are several official fundraisers for the earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria
and I encourage you to donate there as well. However, International aid
does not or hardly arrive in Syria due to the political situation.
While an improvement in this situation can be expected, help is needed now
and sending money directly will offer just that.
- Practicalities
Depending on the most favorable momentary fees and conversion rates, the money
will be transferred to Bashar via Western Union or private bank transfer services in
Istanbul or Beirut. Proof of these transfers will be provided.