Hi, my name is Alan, and I'm fundraising for my Syrian family, who has been directly and profoundly affected by the recent earthquakes in Turkey.
Seven years ago my cousin and his family escaped the war in Syria in search for a better life in Turkey. Like many Syrian refugees, they yearned for a life without fear of violence and conflict… A place to restart their lives and raise their families
The journey on foot over the snowy mountains into Turkey was treacherous, with some in their traveling group not surviving the trek. But the entire family made it safely and were offered settlement in the refugee camps in Antakya, Turkey, to join over 3.5 million other Syrians seeking safety.
As one would imagine, life in the camp was incredibly hard, but even in desperate conditions, life continues and, in some ways can bring hope.
In the case of my cousin and his family, their hope and love for their family manifested in the birth of their 4th daughter.
Tragically, in the early morning of February 6th, everything changed for this family yet again.
At 4:17am, while the family was asleep, the largest earthquake to hit Turkey in 50 years stole the life of my cousin Feras and his 16 year old daughter Ghazel, both pictured.
Miraculously his wife Dalia and their 3 other daughters, Moore, Tasneem, and Shahd, were rescued from the rubble and survived.
But they are now in a desperate situation, trying to find shelter and sustainability in the midst of destruction, death, and personal loss.
We have felt incredibly helpless and emotional this week as we watch the news and hear the personal stories on the ground, 1000s of miles away, with no way to help, which is why we created this SpotFund.
With the funds we raise here, we intend to provide Dalia and her three girls the resources necessary to ensure their physical and mental health, education, and the hope for a better future. They have suffered and endured more than any family should, and every donation will have a tangible, and positive outcome for this family.
Thank you for considering.
