Social Media for Crisis Response

The following series of social media captions and short stories were written for the NGO RemarSOS, on their work in Türkiye providing relief after the February 6th earthquake. I took the photographs, wrote the captions, and when necessary, interviewed subjects and relevant parties. All photographs were taken with the consent of the subject.

Beneficiary Hospitality

When our staff and volunteers visit Internally Displaced People (IDP) in Hatay, Türkiye, they are consistently extended warm hospitality. From temporary makeshift homes, those impacted by the earthquakes continue to offer hot tea, conversation, and kindness to outsiders.

Volunteer Highlight: Rukola Catering 

For @rukolacatering , a team of caterers in Poland, dropping everything to help others is second nature. They’ve been with us for the past two weeks cooking nonstop to serve delicious, nutritional meals to those in need in Türkiye. A year ago, they put the business on pause to serve sandwiches to refugees from Ukraine through @wckitchen . This time around, they drove through the night to make the 40 hour trip by car from Poland. They even experienced a delay when they were refused at Serbia and had to reroute, to ultimately end up at Remar SOS in Antakya. Since their arrival, they’ve served as many as 2,000 meals in a single day. Efforts currently are focused on Iftar (dinner at sundown to break fast during Ramadan) but food is available throughout the day for those who choose to partake.
Marcin, a chef in the crew, shares “For me, the most important thing is these kids need to grow up with healthy food. They need strength to rebuild the city. That’s why I use vegetables, that’s why I cook food that is delicious…” he pauses and laugh “I think so at least.” Everyone who’s tried the dishes agrees. We’re so grateful for the support of Rukola and every volunteer who gives generously of their time and talent!

Program Highlight: Distribution

In Türkiye, a key component of our programing is the distribution of non-perishable food items and hygiene kits on site at tent camps. Our teams scout out the locations of tents, assess needs, and plan regular distribution of goods. Sometimes we deliver the items tent by tent, stopping to chat with residents and enjoy a cup of tea (hard times have not dampened the hospitality of people in Türkiye!). On other occasions, we deliver a host of resources to a community leader who will further disseminate the items. When you donate to Remar SOS, you make this work possible. Agile funding allows us to respond on the ground, in real time, to ever evolving needs and quickly provide for communities reeling from the earthquakes. Tap the link in our bio to donate today!

Program Highlight: Medical Assistance

Immediately following the earthquake, we treated emergency injuries resulting from the disaster. Now, medical needs have evolved. With most pharmacies and the biggest hospital in Hatay destroyed, people require both chronic and acute care. Flu and infection spread easily with many people packed in close quarters, and people lack access to necessary medication. To meet these needs, we run a daily clinic onsite at our base and regularly treat patients in tent camps through our mobile clinic. These programs are essential to serve the people of Türkiye, but we need your support. Tap the link in our bio to donate today so we can continue to provide urgent, expert medical care to those who need it most.

Beneficiary Quote

While receiving our routine distribution package of food and supplies, one man shared, “First it was corona and we couldn’t go outside. Then the earthquake and we can’t go inside. When will we find our peace?”
At Remar S.O.S., we’re committed to walking alongside families and meeting their needs as they walk the hard road of rebuilding their peace.