Srinagar- In a bid to help the people of Turkiye and Syria displaced by the recent earthquakes, people from different areas of the Kashmir valley have started collecting blankets and woollens. A Kashmir-based local NGO ‘We the Helping Hands foundation’ has also extended help to support earthquake victims with humanitarian assistance.
Umer Wani, who heads the foundation said that after watching the horrific and heart-wrenching videos and images of the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, he at his NGO decided to conduct a humanitarian assistance camp.
“We saw the videos where children were orphaned, families were shattered and we decided to extend our humanitarian support to them. We first spoke to the Turkiye embassy officials in New Delhi and they shared a list of essentials with us. We held an open camp where people generously extended their support”, he said.
According to him, he said they had to wrap up the camp within 24 hours of the start of the initiative, stating that the embassy informed them that their warehouse in New Delhi was full of aid and they were running out of space.
“We were anticipating that it would take us at least 10 days to collect the relief material. But such was the response that we had to call off the drive as people from every nook and corner came with donations. We were able to collect warm clothes, blankets, diapers, water bottles, sleeping bags and so far we have dispatched one shipment in a truck and four more are to be dispatched,” Wani added.
While volunteers from the NGO were collecting donations, locals were also seen extending their support to the NGO in collecting the contributions in the shape of blankets and other items against a receipt.
Wani added that they are not accepting any monetary donations from anyone for the earthquake-hit countries and that they are extending their support as per the requirements shared by the officials at the Turkiye embassy.
“We have witnessed tragedies, be it floods, Covid or Earthquake and Kashmiris understand the suffering. People of Kashmir have time and now demonstrated how compassionate we are. We should constantly step out to help people, regardless of caste, creed, or religion,” Wani remarked.
A similar drive was held in the city by a Kashmir-based logistic company ‘Fastbeetle’ where they collected blankets, baby food, warm clothing, and medicines for the earthquake that hit Turkiye and Syria. (With KNO inputs)
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