SAN ANTONIO – The death toll in the Turkish and Syrian earthquakes is continuing to rise.
As of Thursday, over 47,000 people have died.
It’s inspiring acts of kindness and giving here at home. On Saturday, the Raindrop Foundation held a festival to raise money for earthquake relief.
“I love how they’re going to send the money to Turkey about the earthquake,” Saadet, a child attending the festival, said.
“I can talk to my friends about the earthquake and that makes me feel like, good and relieved,” Azra, another child, said.
Happening now, the Raindrop Foundation is hosting a festival that will benefit the people of Turkey impacted by the deadly earthquakes. pic.twitter.com/sz3DNRwyHF
— Leigh Waldman (@LeighWaldman) February 25, 2023
It was a sea of smiling children, food, and celebration of Turkish culture at the Raindrop Foundation’s festival.
”We always really do these events for a cause anyway but this one, it really means a lot to me. My own father is from the region and but thank God we didn’t lose anybody,” Fatma Arslam, a volunteer, said.
It’s been several weeks since the initial earthquake on February 6th that brought down buildings and claimed the lives of thousands.
Two other earthquakes struck this week, so the foundation is raising money to send to the region with this fundraiser.
”It’s a tragic thing but it has also brought the world together, San Antonians together,” Armen Babajanian, CEO of the World Affairs Council, said.
For Mehtap Yakisan, this tragedy feels more personal.
Not only is she from the region hit by the first quake, but she also lost her brother, sister-in-law, 45-day-old nephew, and two members of her in-law’s family.
“So my parents try to remove the debris for three days with their own hands,” Yakisan said through a translator. “And on day four and five, we were able to reach their corpses.”
Yakisan couldn’t travel to Turkey for their funerals. She had to watch them through video call.
She said her brother was an angel who always wanted to do the best for others.
“She said this world not good enough for him. So that’s why we believe he went to the Heaven,” Yakisan said.
While she and her family grieve, they’re thankful for the support from the world and here in her new home.
“I think those people after an earthquake need both spiritual and physical help and financial help. They need all help,” Yakisan said.
If you couldn’t make it to the festival, the Raindrop Foundation is partnering with Embrace Relief, a nonprofit helping to deliver humanitarian aid and disaster relief.