UNICEF is moving quickly to respond to the needs of thousands of families and children impacted by a major earthquake that struck several cities and towns of the Syria-Türkiye border on 6th February 2023.

In the early hours of 6 February, multiple earthquakes and at least 317 aftershocks struck southern Türkiye and northern Syria leaving thousands of children and families without food, and shelter and in need of urgent medical and psychosocial assistance. 

So far the collective death toll is now at least 35,000. While the total number of children affected remains unclear, more than 2.5 million children are affected in Syria. These casualties are tragically expected to rise.

Displaced families in Syria and those living in informal settlements are among the most vulnerable as overnight temperatures continue to dip below 0° Celsius. These people have nowhere to go, and the freezing winter temperatures pose an additional challenge to their survival. They are in urgent need of shelter, safe drinking water, and hygiene essentials.

We urgently need your support to respond to the needs of children affected by this earthquake. Please make an urgent donation.

“This is the most powerful earthquake to hit the region in almost 100 years and came at the worst possible time for vulnerable children and families in the affected areas." - James Elder, UNICEF Spokesperson

We can’t afford to wait, and we urgently need your support to reach children. Please make an urgent donation today.

Eleven years into the conflict, economic downturn, and displacement have left hundreds of thousands of families struggling to survive in Syria. Now, the impact of such a devastating earthquake makes the situation even more desperate. We cannot wait – please donate to help us save lives.

Your donation can make a huge difference. Please help now!

Help UNICEF reach more children in need

Thousands of homes are likely to have been destroyed, displacing families and exposing them to the elements at a time of year when temperatures regularly drop below freezing and snow and freezing rain are common. Heavy snowstorms have also recently hit parts of Syria, with further sub-zero temperatures forecasted.

  • In Syria, UNICEF is on the ground seeking to fill immediate gaps for all supplies (including medical) and has already sent emergency supplies for operating theatres, along with nutrition supplies such as high-energy biscuits.  
  • The team is working to ensure that the affected children and families have access to safe drinking water and sanitation services – critical in preventing illness in the early days of a crisis. 
  • We are also working to identify separated and unaccompanied children and work to reunite them with their families, as well as provide children with psychological first aid.
  • UNICEF is coordinating the nutrition responses, especially for young children under 2 years and pregnant women of the displaced population in Syria. We are mobilizing essential nutrition supplies from across the region and delivering essential health and nutrition services through mobile teams. 
Disclaimer: 
 
*Donations received will be used to fund UNICEF’s response for children and families in Syria with 10% of total donations going towards responding to the urgent needs of many more children and families facing the most challenging situations elsewhere in the world. Your donation today will help us be there for every child, even those living with very little to no support.
 
**As a United Nations entity enjoying privileges and immunities enshrined in the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, UNICEF does not have a tax registration number in any country because it is not subject to tax on its income in any jurisdiction and because it is not subject to the jurisdiction of any national authority, including any tax authority. 
 
***Please note that the stories of children and price point descriptions mentioned (if any) are to illustrate activities and the impact your donation can make to the lives of vulnerable children in Gaza and around the world. UNICEF, based on the need on the ground, will allocate resources to areas that need funds the most.