By Ghulam Haider
In a glorious act of philanthropy, a Pakistani in the United States anonymously “donated $30 million (Dh110.19 million) to the Turkish embassy” for the earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria as the natural disaster took the lives of thousands and destroyed scores of homes. The news of the donation has been reported by Turkish media.
Despite the difficulties, acts of kindness like this donation serve as a reminder of the triumph of humanity over seemingly insurmountable odds. The importance of continued aid and support for those affected by this tragedy cannot be overstated.
In a video shared on Twitter, TRT World journalist Yousuf Erim also appreciated the move and said: “Individuals, a Pakistani businessman walked into the Turkish embassy in the United States and anonymously donated $30 million by himself. We don’t know who he is. His identity has not been revealed.”
Mustafa Tanyeri — who is the editor-in-chief of The Election Post — said Turkey’s Ambassador to Washington Murat Mercan said that a Pakistani businessman alone contributed $30 million to the aid campaign launched in the US.
This was also reported by TRT World’s reporter Jaffar Hasnain.
Meanwhile, International aid was also trickling into parts of Turkey and Syria on Saturday where rescuers toiled to pull children from rubble in quake-hit areas. A winter freeze in the affected areas has hurt rescue efforts and compounded the suffering of millions of people, many in desperate need of aid.
Beyond the agony and despair amid the rubble in Turkey and Syria, hope flickers in one way or another: From the children and elderly people being rescued to the aid that has been pouring in from all around the world.
However, amid the widespread destruction caused by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, there are still glimpses of hope shining through. Reports of rescued children and elderly individuals, as well as the outpouring of aid from around the world, give reason for optimism.
Aftershocks following Monday’s 7.8-magnitude tremor have added to the death toll and further upended the lives of survivors.
The death toll has risen to over 24,000, and the harsh winter weather has only made the situation dire for those in need of aid. The United Nations warns that at least 870,000 people require food, and the earthquake has made up to 5.3 million people homeless in Syria alone. These figures highlight the importance of continued aid and support for those impacted by this tragedy.
The United Nations World Food Programme has appealed for $77 million to provide food rations to at least 590,000 newly displaced people in Turkey and 284,000 in Syria. Of those, 545,000 were internally displaced people and 45,000 were refugees, it said.
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