Human Relief Foundation has a successful history of working with and providing aid and assistance to refugees and displaced peoples across the world. In particular, we have focused a large amount of our activities on those who have fled the conflict in Syria for potentially safer destinations. For many Syrians who crossed over onto neighbouring. Turkey, the dreams of safety and a fresh start were shattered by February’s earthquakes, which centred around northern Syria and southern Turkey – where many Syrian refugees congregated. We hear many stories of how hopes and dreams of a safe and peaceful future have been crushed. One such story is that of Salih Al-Salih.

Salih Al-Salih is 19 years old. Salih fled to Turkey from the city of Hama in Syria due to the escalating conflict in the country. Salih was joined by his mother, brother and two younger sisters. His father sadly passed away in 2014. Salih had full time employment, providing for his family by working in a shawarma restaurant.

On the morning of 6^th May 2023, Salih’s sleep was interrupted by a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake. Like so many Syrian refugees living in Turkey, his life was once again to be turned upside-down. As the quake stuck, he immediately tried to escort his mother and brother from their home. The suddenness and magnitude of the quake made this task impossible, as I wall crumbled and fell onto him, fracturing his leg. Salih was trapped under the rubble of his building for three days before being rescued. 

The outlook for Salih was bleak. His leg was amputated above the knee and he suffered from multiple skull fractures and a dislocated shoulder. 

For Salih’s family, the outlook was also bleak. Both his mother and brother were rescued from the rubble five days after the quake struck, thanks to the relentless work of rescue teams. His mother also had to have an above knee amputation due to complicated injuries. Her other leg was also severely injured, requiring ongoing medical treatment. To compound an already dire situation, Salih’s brother – Taher, remains in critical condition, undergoing intensive care. He has deep abdominal and buttock wounds, requiring multiple surgeries. He is still unable to move his legs at the time of reporting.

Salih’s family lost everything – all their belongings and personal possessions in the earthquake. The Turkish government is covering costs of their medical treatment and prosthetics, but without an income, the family are in dire need of financial assistance to rebuild their lives. 

Your help is needed to rebuild the lives of Salih’s family, and hundreds of others like them. Human Relief Foundation works tirelessly with our partners on the ground to ensure that families like Salih’s are given support, the basic human necessities and hope for a better future. 

We can only do this with your generous support. Please think of Salih, and the thousands like him and his family, who deserve a chance to rebuild a better life out of the ashes of tragedy.