BGR International

Turkey/Syria Earthquake

UPDATE: 1 June 2023 – Since the early days of the earthquake, BGR International provided food, water, and blankets to those displaced. Now we are concentrating on trauma care and counseling to those impacted by the devastation.

Thank you for your continued support. Here is a story from one of the people you helped

“We could not believe this could happen to us. Yes, we have earthquakes in this area but not where our apartment is. We felt safe there. But not now.

“When the earthquake hit, we left our apartment with only the clothes we had on and ran into the streets. It was not long before people showed up with blankets, water and some food. We were so grateful for them. Thank you for giving so we were able to survive. “

BGR International is responding to the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on 6 February 2023. Within hours of the disaster, our local partners began providing blankets, water bottles, food and other emergency supplies in impacted neighborhoods.

With more than 1,200 recorded aftershocks, many people are terrified to go back into their homes, even if they’re some of the few still standing. Every time the ground shakes, they relive the trauma.

Tens of thousands of survivors are sleeping in the streets, in their cars or in parking lots to avoid being crushed by rubble if another building collapses. Families are spending excruciating nights exposed to the elements.

As BGR International partners helped those sleeping on the streets and in their cars, they found that, while survivors were grateful for the blankets and bags of sandwiches, many told volunteers, “Thank you, but we will only take a few. There are other people around here who are in greater need than us.”

BGR International is currently providing training on trauma-informed care, as the emotional toll is going to increase greatly over the coming weeks. The number of confirmed deaths is currently estimated to be over 59.000 people.

Your gifts are vital to these efforts. Click this link to make your generous gift through Giving.sg.

Empowering Women – Baking Class

After a long time with COVID restrictions and the economic fallout, families are really struggling to make ends meet and provide for their children. The lives of 17 women and their families were greatly impacted as they received training in baking. They were able to start a small business in their homes using their new skills. The women received this training and no cost as well as received a starter kit to start their own business. At the end of each 8-week session, the women gathered together with tears in their eyes sharing how much the class had meant to them and how it would positively impact their families.

Food to the Elderly

Sometimes the elderly struggle to care for themselves. A food distribution in northern Thailand provided food assistance to 250 elderly families in 4 communities who were impacted financially due to Covid restrictions in the province.

Cyclone Response

BGR International assisted with food and building materials in the aftermath of Cyclone YAAS in Odisha and West Bengal. Several hundred families were recipients of your generosity.

COVID-19 Food Distribution

COVID-19 has caused havoc in many ways. High food prices prevent families from receiving the nutritional meals they need to sustain healthy living. In addition, many have lost their job because of the pandemic and are struggling economically. Across Asia, BGR International is provided food packets of rice, fish, sauces, and noodles to families that are struggling to provide food for their families.

Children Feeding Program

The Hilltribe groups in Thailand cannot afford the transportation costs from their villages to the city for their children to attend school, so the children reside in hostels during the school term. The parents of boarded children typically send food to the hostels as a form of payment for room and board for the children while they attend school in the city. During the pandemic, many of these families were not able to deliver send food. We were able to distribute 4,000 sacks of rice were distributed among 79 hostiles to prevent the children from going hungry.

Cyclone Yaas Response

Cyclone Yaas has caused massive destruction to life and property in the Sundergbans delta area of East India.

The flooding caused by the cyclone resulted in contaminated drinking water and agricultural fields flooded with saltwater. People are left struggling to provide enough food, clothing, and temporary shelter for their families until they can rebuild their lives.

Our goal is to raise SG$60,000 to distribute packets of dry food and hygiene items to over 1,000 families. Each food packet provides enough to food feed a family of 5 for 10 days. We will do three distributions to each family over the next three months.

These packets will help families survive and not worry about food as they slowly begin to rebuild their lives during the recovery phase of this disaster.

COVID-19 Response in India

This new wave of COVID-19 infections is taking its toll on the people of India. Hospitals are overwhelmed with new patience. Many are running out of oxygen. The infection rate is the highest since the pandemic began.

Because of the lockdown, there is no opportunity to go out and work. So many people are struggling to survive. Most of the people lost their job and for which they are going through starvation. Moreover, they have sold everything that they had and now they have nothing with them. So they need help.

BGR International works with local partners to distribute food packets consisting of two weeks worth of rice, lentils, cooking oil, salt and some hygiene items.

Your gift can help us provide these basic food items to those in need.

Author: BGR International