Melbourne volunteers send support to Turkey
A group of selfless volunteers have rallied in Melbourne’s northern suburbs to help support earthquake victims.
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Melbourne’s Turkish community has rallied together to send support to earthquake victims on the other side of the globe.
About 100 volunteers gathered at Sultan Halal Meats in Campbellfield on Wednesday to pack boxes of donated items to be sent to affected areas in Turkey
Volunteer and organiser Bea Tercan said businesses and individuals have donated everything from blankets and socks to sleeping bags and tents.
“It makes me feel proud to know that we’re still human and people do put their hands on their heart in crisis situations,” Ms Tercan said.
“There are people living on the streets with no socks, no shoes absolutely nothing with their pyjamas and they’re freezing to death. If it’s not the earthquake that kills them, it’s going to be the cold.”
Ms Tercan – who has survived three natural disasters herself including the 1999 Turkey earthquake – said she understands the pain and loss people are experiencing.
“For the Melburnians here that have family overseas, they’ve been waiting for 30 hours or so and they still can’t get in contact, which is which is really hard,” she said.
Gulsei Kalkan’s home town in southern Turkey was destroyed by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake – now she’s volunteering to make sure those suffering get the help they need.
Ms Kalkan, who immigrated to Australia when she was four-years-old, said her family in Hatay, in southern Turkey, were relying on donated supplies to survive.
“I spoke to my uncles – they said most of the buildings in there are gone and roads have collapsed,” she said.
“Those people that are suffering have no power, no internet connection – I’m just extremely happy that all of this is going directly to that region.”
Volunteer Engine Cavusmirza, who moved to Australia from Turkey just three months ago, said he jumped to help out as soon as he heard a fundraising effort had been organised.
“We just want to help our country’s people. We’ve been here all day, we started around 7:30am and it’s going to be finished at almost 9pm,” he said.
“It’s so sad and we just want to do something.”
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