Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions, in partnership with World Council of Credit Unions, Thursday launched its Turkish Cooperative Earthquake Relief Fund to solicit donations in support of Turkey’s cooperative movement, which has suffered mass devastation from two February 6 earthquakes.

An early morning 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Gaziantep was followed by a 7.5 magnitude quake hours later in Kahramanmaras. Tarimkredi (Turkish Agricultural Credit Cooperatives) has more than 150 cooperatives with 80,000 members in the 10 provinces impacted by the earthquakes and estimates at least half of those institutions have suffered some level of destruction.  

World Council of Credit Unions President/CEO Elissa McCarter LaBorde has reached out to the leaders of Tarimkredi and the heads of other organizations in Turkey to assess the greatest needs and to determine how the Relief Fund can be put to the best and most immediate use possible.

“As someone who managed post-earthquake recovery programs in Turkey earlier in my career, my heart goes out to the many communities that have been hit by this tragedy. World Council and our Worldwide Foundation have assisted financial cooperatives in the wake of natural disasters for decades. We are proud to play a part in helping mobilize the generosity of the global credit union movement to support those in need,” said McCarter LaBorde.

Donations to the Turkish Cooperative Earthquake Relief Fund are now being accepted here.  

If you would like to make a donation to support the immediate humanitarian relief efforts on the ground in both Turkey and Syria, we are currently in communication with the International Blue Crescent Relief and Development Foundation (IBC), a non-governmental organization that has intensified relief efforts by distributing hot meals, ready-to-eat food, blankets, aid kits, and is contributing to build shelters and tent cities.

You can find a link to the IBC donation page here.