Sustained Scout response in Türkiye and Syria 

When earthquakes devastated Türkiye and Syria on 6 February, thousands of Scouts swiftly mobilised, immediately putting their Scout training and experience into action. They joined the search and rescue operations, dug through the rubble, managed mass-scale warehouse deliveries, provided emergency supplies, meals, water and hot drinks, and have continued to run activities for children and families who lost everything.

Thanks to donations from over 420 BP Fellows, Scouts and supporters worldwide, we have raised over USD 132,000 for the Emergency Earthquake Appeal to help Scouts sustain and scale up their response, helping people in dire need in Türkiye and Syria. 

And Scouts will remain long-term to help their local communities rebuild and support more children and young people through Scouting activities because their local communities still need them.

They still need our support. Please donate to our Emergency Fund today, here. 

Your donation will help Scouts to provide essential supplies, basic shelters for people who have lost their homes, blankets and heating devices to keep them warm, as well as important training on mental health to help Scouts address the ongoing trauma experienced by children and young people. 

In Syria, Scouts have stepped up to support children traumatised by the earthquakes including at United Nations centres for Palestine Refugees. They run activities, spread joy and give the children and their families much-needed support — a moment of respite in the harshest circumstances, as evident in this video.

5050 Scouts and 435 leaders are active, distributing daily main meals in the thousands and providing around 400 food baskets a day (4500 up to 3 March). They have also equipped 60 temporary centres in partnership with local civil society associations to provide accommodation solutions until more permanent homes can be secured. Each centre houses between 60 and 600 people.  

In Türkiye, over 6000 Scouts have provided vital support in the seven most devastated provinces. The following account of their work since February was shared by Hale Nur Özden, International Commissioner of the Scouting and Guiding Federation of Türkiye, along with his thanks for the immense outpouring of support and solidarity from Scouts worldwide. 

Local Scouts mobilised as soon as the earthquake struck and were quickly joined by more volunteer Scouts, trained and accredited by the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). By the second evening, around 2000 Scouts were working in the warehouses, unloading supply trucks, and sorting and distributing the contents.   

Working in 24-hour shifts, Scouts have spent weeks supporting arduous search and rescue, digging through the rubble to reach people trapped in the wreckage, assisting the injured and clearing debris. They have also recovered and transported victims from the rubble to the hospitals to be prepared for burial — a harsh reality of the disaster, of vital importance to the families who have lost loved ones. Nearly 15,000 burials have been carried out by Scout leaders who are also religious officials.  

Over the weeks, Scouts have participated in Safe from Harm training to support their outreach to children and young people affected by the earthquakes. They have also distributed tents and when the volunteer Scouts realised the challenges faced by families to pitch them, they reached out to help, erecting hundreds and hundreds and helping people understand how to care for them. 

Scout volunteers have sustained their response for weeks. The numbers have recently decreased as schools have reopened and Scout leaders involved in education have returned to work. The Scout effort is now mainly concentrated on Hatay Province.   

Hale praised the efforts of Scouts from abroad, noting that the Azerbaijan Scouts trained in search and rescue have been very active in Adiyaman in particularly harsh weather conditions. Lebanese Scouts did the same in Hatay, and migrant Scouts from Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Libya and Palestine have joined activities, working alongside Turkish Scouts.

This is in addition to the heart-warming collection of essential items and fundraising efforts led by Scouts worldwide in immense solidarity.  

Your support will make a difference. Donate to our Emergency Fund today here.

Photo Credits: Azerbaycan Skautlar Assosiasiyasi, @Basizci, @Saurusazerbaijan, Scouts of Syria, @Tif.take, Türkiye İzcilik Federasyonu