Earthquakes: in Germany, the Turkish diaspora is mobilized to help
Audio 01:10
The Turkish diaspora is mobilized in Germany to respond to calls for donations as here in Berlin.
© Pascal Thibaut / RFI
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
The deadly earthquake in Turkey sparked a wave of international solidarity.
It applies in particular to the Turkish diaspora, and more particularly to Germany, where three million people are from this country.
Many of them respond to calls for donations, as in Berlin, where the largest community lives.
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With our correspondent in Berlin,
Pascal Thibaut
The sidewalks of the small street in the Moabit district are completely filled with boxes piled up in a hurry.
Volunteers are constantly working to close them before trucks come to take them.
Individuals stop at the corner of the street or in front of the door and continue to bring what is most urgent on the spot.
Like this Turkish woman whose husband works for the Dosteli association, in French "the hand of the friend", who launched this collection.
"
Stuff for the babies, food for the little ones, nappies, a tent, blankets, a bit of everything
," she lists.
In Berlin, the Turkish community is mobilizing #TurkeyEarthquake pic.twitter.com/hEyhdSUh7U
— Pascal Thibaut (@pthibaut) February 8, 2023
Other collections have been launched in other areas of Berlin.
A company that produces kebabs collected 450 pallets of donations in two days.
The influx is huge.
This young volunteer, whose relatives in the region hit by the earthquake are still missing, has dropped her apprenticeship and is active in the middle of a mountain of boxes.
"
It was clear that we were going to help each other,
" she said.
I can't do anything for my country but this work here from morning to night, whatever.
»
Trucks, but also planes, have already started transporting these thousands of boxes to Turkey.
Calls for donations to dedicated bank accounts have been launched by many charities.
► To read also: Earthquake in Turkey: in Adana, the search for survivors continues but hopes are dwindling
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