How kind Sun readers’ £1million donations are making a difference to earthquake survivors in Turkey and Syria

HIS home is now a rough-and-ready campsite on freezing waste ground in a southern Turkish city.

But at least four-year-old Murat Bulut is alive – and thousands of survivors like him are being helped by aid YOU paid for.

Thousands of survivors like Murat Burat, four, are being helped by aid that you paid forPeter Jordan

His home in Gaziantep was destroyed as earthquakes devastated Turkey and Syria three weeks ago.

More than 47,000 people died and five million were left homeless as ten cities were hit by the worst disaster in 100 years.

The Sun immediately launched our Earthquake Appeal, with all the money donated to the Red Cross.

We were backed by thousands of readers and some of Britain’s biggest firms and £1million was raised in less than a week.

To donate, visit redcross.org.uk/sunaid

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Sun readers have responded by doing what the British people do best – reaching out to help those in need.

“The Sun’s campaign will make a huge difference to people who’ve lost everything.”

Red Cross staff and volunteers have been providing hot food, water and shelter to survivors in temperatures as low as –7C.

In the past week, the Turkish Red Crescent set up kitchens and served 80million meals and distributed 30,000 blankets and more than 2,000 tents.

The SunThe Sun Earthquake Appeal was launched to support the Red Cross[/caption]

The Syrian Arab Red Crescent has handed out 5,000 mattresses and 9,000 blankets as well as receiving 60 tonnes of food and medical supplies from the Iraqi Red Crescent Society.

Our appeal total now stands at £1.4million but more money is needed to continue supporting vital humanitarian work.

Today we say “thank you” for your generous support – and show how your money is making a huge difference.

‘JUST HAPPY WE’RE SAFE’

By Oliver Harvey, Chief Feature Writer

Pictures by Peter Jordan in Pazarcik, Turkey

IN a bleak tented village at Turkey’s earthquake epicentre, little Cinar Nacar gladly gulps down a well-needed drink from Red Crescent volunteer Anastasia Ozdemir.

Later, the three-year-old is happy to bounce on the charity worker’s knee as she wipes away quake dust from his cherubic features.

Red Crescent volunteer Anastasia hands out a drink in a tented village at Turkey’s earthquake epicentrePeter JordanA survivor wraps up to stay warm after the earthquakePeter Jordan

Toddler Cinar — and 60,000 hungry and destitute others here in the remote town of Pazarcik — are being fed thanks to the kindness of others, including donations from The Sun’s £1.4million Earthquake Appeal.

Local governor Vesel Taz tells me: “The Red Crescent is doing a great job and thank you to The Sun for its Earthquake Appeal.

“Your readers who have donated even the smallest amount should know how helpful it is for us here.”

Cinar — and his parents and four siblings Gunes, 11, Ceylon, seven, five-year-old Berat and one-year-old Yusuf — are living under canvas in the town’s football stadium.

The disaster claimed the lives of some of the children’s teachers, and mum Berna, 29, says: “I have no idea when the children will be back at school.

“We’d love to go home, but it has huge cracks and isn’t safe.

“At the moment I’m just happy we’re all safe and together.

“I’m grateful to the Red Crescent for doing all they can.”

Tents for the homeless cover Pazarcik’s stadiumPeter JordanTurkish Red Cross worker Murat Demir, 30, with donated nappies at a distribution centre in the town of IslahiyePeter JordanVolunteers in Gaziantep load food for survivorsPeter Jordan

Volunteer Anastasia, 40, says: “It breaks my heart to see these poor children living like this.

“We are making sure they get some treats as well as good cooked meals three times a day.”

Her husband Fikret, a celebrity chef in Turkey, who has also volunteered with the Red Crescent, adds: “There are no shops open in Pazarcik after the earthquake.

“So the Red Crescent is feeding people in the hospitals, people in tents and people in the street.”

Fikret, 52, is preparing vast vats of chickpea soup which is served with rice, crusty bread and kiwi fruit at feeding stations dotted around the town.

Local Red Crescent manager Onur Beyazyesil, 35, says the charity is feeding 60,000 people a day in the wider area.

He adds: “We’re going out into remote villages making sure people have food and hygiene kits.”

And in response to Sun readers’ donations, he says: “We are very thankful, it allows us to do this vital work.”

Nobody needs The Sun’s £1.4million donation more than Pazarcik’s 30,000 inhabitants.

The massive series of quakes — beginning with a 7.8 tremor on February 6 which was felt as far away as Greenland — damaged or destroyed most of the homes here.

Strewn rubble from smashed homes blocks streets, and many apartments have collapsed.

Survivors sleep in family cars or under canvas by the roadside — or, like the Nacars, at the town’s football stadium.

Queuing for his lunch at a Red Crescent food station in the town’s prefecture building, governor Vesel, 67, continues: “Pazarcik is worse than a war zone.

“Around 80 per cent of the buildings in the town are destroyed or damaged.”

Red Crescent volunteer Eren Erturk, whose usual job is at a nearby Ford car factory, is handing out lunch trays at the administrative building which is riven with large cracks.

Eren, 23, says: “I’m happy to help out — it gives us volunteers a warm feeling,”

Ayfer Uygul, 52, weeps as ten-year-old daughter Tuba receives food aid from Red Crescent volunteers.

Told about Sun readers’ donations, she says: “Thank you,” as tears stream down her face.

Her elder daughter Fidan, 24, a trainee teacher, has been a Red ­Crescent volunteer for three years.

She says: “Four of our neighbours died.

“We can’t go back to the house.

“We have no idea what we will do.”

Beside a busy road connecting Pazarcik and regional hub Kahramanmarasş a bedraggled queue of the hungry and homeless stretches for at least 500 metres.

Kahramanmarasş has also housed its quake homeless in its football stadium, where Zeynab Karakus is preparing an evening meal of bread and lentil soup for her three children at her makeshift new home supplied by the Red Crescent.

Her children Ilyda, ten, Ibrahim, eight and Reyyan, two, emerge with wide smiles from the tent pitched on a running track in the stadium.

Zeynab, 33, tells me: “We ran from our home with nothing.

“The children were frightened but feel safe here in the stadium.

“But we can’t go back to our home because it is unsafe.”

And showing extraordinary resilience and gratitude, she adds: “Thank you to everyone who has donated.

“Every day since the ­earthquake struck is getting better.”

Ocado donated £25,000.

Celebs’ £95,000

MUSIC mogul Simon Cowell helped us hit £1million in donations by gifting £50,000.

Scottish entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter gave £20,000. He said: “The Sun has done a great job of bringing this home to everyone.”

Ex-Dragons’ Den tycoon Theo Paphitis donated £5,000. He said: “You can’t help but be shocked by the scenes in Turkey, and we are pleased to be able to contribute.”

Apprentice star Lord Sugar gave £10,000 while Stranger Things actor Millie Bobby Brown also donated.

Dragons’ Den tycoon Touker Suleyman donated £10,000. He said: “Turkey is very close to my heart, being of Turkish origin. We are going flat out to help in this disaster.”

Centrica donated £150,000.

‘WE GAVE OUR POCKET MONEY’

By Emma Pietras, Clare O’Reilly and Heather Main

THE SUN has been overwhelmed by the ­generosity of readers who dug deep in their pockets to help those affected by the disaster.

Among them are big-hearted ­siblings James and Charlotte Meaney, who each gave up their £5 pocket money.

Six-year-old James was inspired to donate after his school held a non- uniform day to help raise funds, with three-year-old Charlotte ­following suit.

He says: “I’d be very sad if I had to move house and lost my toys.

“I hope my pocket money helps buy the boys and girls some new things.

“If our house fell down we would need people to help, and it is good to help people when they are sad.”

The children live with parents Nathan and Katy Meaney, both 37, in Wolverhampton.

Proud mum, Katy, a writer, says she told James his school’s non-uniform day would raise money “to help families in other countries as there had been an earthquake”.

She said: “I gently explained how some people were going to have to build their homes again and were left with no food, clothes or furniture.

“He is very kind and considerate and was eager to help.

“He is saving for Super Mario Lego sets and he understands that by giving away his savings it will take longer to buy and he still wants to help.

‘Desperately needed’

“I am incredibly proud of James for being so kind and generous.

“Charlotte is far too young to understand the crisis, but she always looks up to her big brother and likes to copy his kind actions.

“Seeing the photographs in The Sun of babies being pulled from the rubble, we had to do something to help those who have survived.”

Katy, who runs children’s theatre website Behind The Magic Curtain, praised The Sun for our appeal to help the British Red Cross give aid where it is desperately needed.

She says: “The appeal has highlighted how easy it is to help.

“The people working on the ground are true superheroes.”

Twelve-year-old Brae Taylor, decided to donate his £200 win­nings from a sporting competition.

Brae, from Holmfirth, West Yorks, competed in the Fujairah Mountain Shooting Championship in Dubai last month.

Mum Katie, 30, a dog sonographer, says: “He knew about the earthquakes as he followed footballer Christian Atsu on TikTok, who was killed during the quakes.

“So when Brae realised he’d won a cash prize for coming tenth, he asked straight away if he could give it to the people in Turkey.

Brae says: “I was really shocked and upset when I heard Christian had died. He was only 31.

“I’m very lucky to have what I need and I felt it would be better for the money to go to the people who are suffering and who have lost everything.”

Lochlan MacFarlane, 11, from Arbroath, Angus, donated his £5 pocket money to the Sun appeal.

He says: “My mum always says we should help others if we can.

“When I saw what happ­ened, it looked awful and so scary.

“There are children out there like me who were at school and played with their friends and now all of that is gone.

“It must be really awful to lose your home and your family.”

Alex Quinn, 22, of Yardley, Birmingham, was moved to donate a fiver after reading our coverage.

He says: “The British Red Cross is a brilliant charity.

“They’re always on the ground where they’re needed and make such a difference to those who have been left with nothing.”

He adds: “The Sun’s campaign is great. It’s a way to get the donation message out to a huge audience.”

Six-year-old Jess Jordan, lives in Battersea, South London, with mum Esther Shaw, 43, a writer, dad Rob, 42, who works in finance and investment, and brother Josh, three.

The family have donated £50 to the appeal after Jess’s school did their own fundraising campaign.

Jess says: “I want to help raise money for things like medical supplies, food and clean water.

“I talked to Mummy and Daddy, and together we decided to donate to the British Red Cross.

“Some children at my school are from Turkey, so I know it’s really important to be kind to them.

“My school is doing lots of fund­raising. Mummy and I are also trying to think of fundraising ideas, such as maybe baking cakes and selling them to family and friends.”

Event organiser Abby Knight, 60, from Ramsden Bellhouse, Essex, chipped in with a £75 gift.

She says: “It breaks my heart to see so many people in distress, especially when you know that many didn’t have a huge amount to start with, like the poor people in Syria who are already suffering because of the civil war.”

IT and marketing director Heema Naik, 30, from Walmley, Birmingham, also donated to the appeal.

She says: “If everyone gives a little, that amounts to a lot.

“Not everyone is fortunate enough to live as safely and comfortably as we do in this country, and when things like this happen, if we have the means to help, we should.

“Seeing The Sun launch the campaign so fast was brilliant.

“Galvan­ising The Sun’s millions of readers is a fantastic way to help the devastated families, people and communities in Turkey and Syria.”