A Story of Hope and Rebuilding After the Earthquake
Nidal, from Syria’s city of Aleppo, resides in Gaziantep, Turkey, working as a specialized technician installing home water filters. He is 32 years old and lives with his wife and three children. His life was going well, with a steady job at a company and a monthly salary, until the earthquake struck, dramatically altering the course of his life.
When the earthquake began, Nidal and his family experienced intense fear as they lived on the third floor of the building. Unfortunately, due to the severity of the quake, Nidal couldn’t reach his children. After the tremors subsided, he went to check on them, and they all went down to the street. The night was extremely challenging, with freezing temperatures and snowy weather, making it a tough ordeal for them.
A Story of Hope and Rebuilding After the Earthquake
Nidal recalls, “After the tremors stopped, we all went out to the street, and the night was bitterly cold due to the low temperatures and snow. We had no suitable shelter, so my family had to stay in a neighbor’s car.”
That night, Nidal and his friends slept in a nearby park and tried to keep warm using firewood. After three or four days, they returned to their building and spent an entire week in a nearby warehouse, as the situation remained unchanged.
In the end, Nidal and his wife decided to travel to Istanbul to stay with her relatives and seek job opportunities there. However, upon his return from Istanbul to Gaziantep, Nidal learned about a link for registering for financial aid and immediately signed up. After a month, he received a call from the Maram Foundation, where they gathered some details about his life and work.
Shortly after, financial aid of 9,000 Turkish Liras was credited to his bank account. This aid had a significant impact on his life, as it allowed him to improve his living conditions, pay rent and utility bills, and finally purchase some necessities for his children and wife.
It’s worth mentioning that the Maram Foundation is currently working on helping families affected by the earthquake, with support from the Give Directly organization. They assisted 637 affected families, transferring 9,000 Turkish Liras to each family. The foundation also offered aid to 35 earthquake-damaged businesses, providing each of them with 18,000 Turkish Liras.
Nidal expresses deep gratitude to the Maram Foundation for the assistance they provided to him and his family. He says, “This aid has had a tremendous impact on my life. Before receiving the aid, I had to pay two months’ rent for my house, and I didn’t have enough money to meet my family’s needs. But thanks to the assistance we received, I managed to pay the house rent, water, and electricity bills, and I bought some essentials for my children and wife.
Through the help he received, Nidal now seeks to fulfill his dream of providing a better future for his family. He is actively searching for stable and sustainable employment that can provide the necessities for his family. With passion, he looks forward to fulfilling his desire to travel to Europe.
Nidal’s story represents resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity, highlighting the importance of humanitarian work and financial aid in supporting individuals affected by disasters and emergencies. Such efforts and aid contribute to restoring hope and rebuilding the lives of affected communities, offering them new opportunities for a better life.