Project: Earthquake – Shelter and Winterization Support in northern Syria and southeast Turkey

RPI and Olive Branch

Project Summary: Refugee Protection International and community-led partners are assisting over 21,093 earthquake survivors in Syria (Idlib, Aleppo regions) and Turkey (Kahramanmaras, Antakya, Reyhanli, Gaziantep regions). 3,483 persons are receiving emergency shelter materials (tents or blankets), of which 2,167 have already benefited. This featured project with RPI’s Turkish-Syrian partner Olive Branch organization builds on 8 years of supporting annual shelter winterization for informal camps and tented settlements in war-torn Syria. Since the 2023 earthquake, RPI and Olive Branch, which implements onsite, are providing tents, blankets, ready-to-eat meals, milk, and winter clothing to Syrian and Turkish earthquake survivors.

Background: Since the initial 7.8 magnitude earthquake on February 6th, 2023, over 50,000 civilians have died in Turkey and Syria, with millions in need of aid. More than 160,000 buildings have collapsed in Turkey alone. When the first earthquake struck, Olive Branch staff and volunteers rescued 35 victims from the rubble in northern Syria and collected data on the relief needs of survivors in dozens of informal tented settlements and towns. Thanks to RPI’s giving partners, Olive Branch is now distributing aid to thousands of survivors on both sides of the border.

Funding is urgently needed to scale annual shelter winterization support to reach earthquake survivors staying in the open under freezing conditions, rain and snow. Over the past 8 years, RPI and Olive Branch have helped war-displaced civilians repair and heat their tents and have eco-friendly fuel for cooking, heating, and washing. This “berine” fuel is made of compressed olive waste sourced locally. Past distributions have included tent insulation, floor mats, heaters, heating fuel and more to dozens of informal tented camps. Thank you to our giving partners.