The Turkish Embassy in Romania, the Ministry of Health, city halls across the country, businesses, NGOs, and politicians have announced the organization of donation campaigns aimed at helping Turkish citizens impacted by the earthquake.

The Turkish Embassy in Romania, in collaboration with TIAD (Turkish Business Association of Romania), has mobilized to meet the needs of those affected by the earthquake in southern Turkey by collecting funds and first aid items, which will be directly donated to the Natural Disaster Management Authority (AFAD).

Authorities are asking for goods that can help those impacted by the earthquake bear the biting cold of winter. Winter clothing for adults and children, coats, jackets, raincoats, boots, sweaters, pants, gloves, scarves, shawls, hats, socks, stockings, and underwear are all needed. Other items, such as tents, camp beds, mattresses for tents, blankets, quilts, sleeping bags, stoves, heaters, gas lamps, gas canisters, thermoses, lanterns, external batteries, generators, food boxes, canned foods, baby food, diapers, hygiene and cleaning products, and hygiene products for women can also be donated.

These can be delivered in:

• Bucharest, between 10:00-17:00, at Aprodex Mașini SRL (Titan Precision Machines), address 1 Decembrie 1918 Boulevard 1G. Contact: Sever Rașid 0755 042 304.
• Constanta, between 10:00-17:00, at Romtextil SA - Aurel Vlaicu, No: 125. Contact: Selahattin Süsli 0743 064 813.
• Cluj-Napoca, between 10:00-17:00, at the Turkish Honorary Consulate 1 Mai Street, No. 8, Apahida, postal code: 407035 Cluj County (Vitacom building). Contact: Kertesz Levente 0728 503 576; Takacs Emoke 0728 503 501; Vita Vasile 028 503 503.

Donations can also be in the form of money. The collected funds will be transferred to AFAD accounts at regular intervals.

The Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Bucharest expresses its gratitude to those interested in contributing to support those affected. Members of parliament from the governing PSD and PNL parties announced that they would make donations to the account created by the Turkish Embassy in Romania to support the population affected by the earthquakes in that country.

In addition to items and funds, Romania’s Ministry of Health has launched an urgent call to medical personnel who wish to enroll as volunteers to help the wounded and supplement the medical teams on site. Doctors and medical assistants who want to become volunteers for the necessary medical assistance teams must fill out a form.

In addition, the Health Ministry also launched a blood donation campaign for the injured. A list of blood transfusion centers is available here.

Bucharest’s District 3 City Hall, through the General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection and in partnership with the Turkish Embassy in Bucharest, started collecting products needed by earthquake victims. Those who want to help can bring the aid to the gym of the Mihai Bravu Technical College, at 428 Mihai Bravu Road, from Monday to Friday between 9:00 and 18:00. All donations will be loaded into humanitarian convoys and sent to Turkey. Further details here.

District 4 City Hall in Bucharest is also putting together its donations campaign, inviting those who want to donate to do so from Thursday, February 9 until Monday, February 13, at the Dacia Technological High School located at 42-44 Grigore Marin Street. A dedicated space has been set up within the school where the aid intended for the disaster victims will be collected, according to Antena3. District 4 will send several TIR trucks with aid to the earthquake-affected area as soon as possible to facilitate the difficult intervention of the rescuers and to set up the camps for the victims in the best possible conditions. The trucks will transport sanitary materials, medicines, food, water, clothes, blankets, tents, beds, mattresses, sleeping bags, generators, and air heaters to Turkey.

Constanta City Hall also calls on citizens to donate goods for the people affected by the earthquake in Turkey. "In response to the humanitarian tragedy in our friend and partner country, we are joining the efforts of the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Romania and we are appealing to the empathy and generosity of the residents of Constanta municipality, proven several times, to become involved in the aid campaign initiated by the Embassy by donating the following essential goods for the people affected by the earthquake in Turkey," the municipal statement says, cited by Radio Constanta. Items can be donated at the collection point located at Romtextil headquarters (access from Industrial Street, near the oil factory) during the hours of 10:00 to 17:00. 

To come to the aid of the people affected by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, the Romanian Red Cross has launched an emergency humanitarian call, collecting funds through online donations. The donated money will be distributed equally to the two National Red Crescent Societies in Turkey and Syria to support earthquake victims. Donations can be made here.

Romania is also giving aid to Syria through the European Civil Protection Mechanism, after the latter country asked for assistance. Material goods consisting of various types of military camp equipment, clothing, and food products will be made available by the National Administration of State Reserves and Special Problems. Transportation of the aid will be carried out by air with the logistical support of the National Defense Ministry, according to the government press release.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos | George Călin)