1,000 Boxes of Toys Given to Kids Affected by Turkey Earthquake

Two months after the tragic earthquake in Turkey, an estimated 5.4 million children have been orphaned and have lost their homes and schools.

A group of people from East Yorkshire gathered at Wednesday Market in Beverley, United Kingdom, Sunday to donate different kinds of toys and cash for the children victims of the Turkey earthquake last February 6, BBC reported.

About 1,000 shoeboxes filled with toys, teddy bears, small gifts, puzzles, and even sweets were received, according to Ali Tekce, the organizer of the Toys for Turkey appeal and a restaurant owner from Beverley, who lost ten of his family members from the Turkey earthquake tragedy.

Tekce was surprised how the toy appeal "exceeded" their expectations and how people's "generosity has been humbling."

"The support is unbelievable. Around 5.4 million kids have lost their homes and their parents and schools, we want to put a little smile on little ones' faces," he declared.

Aside from the toys collected, a fundraising campaign has also been able to raise £12,000 or almost $15,000. The 1,000 shoeboxes will be sent to the children in Turkey through the help of Turkish Airlines in the days to come.

'This Toy Is My Friend' Event

The Toys for Turkey event was honored by the presence of the Turkish Ambassador to the UK, Koray Ertas, who praised the Yorkshire people's generous hearts and fundraising efforts.

"[These children] have lost their families, they have lost their houses, and we are grateful that the Yorkshire people and Beverley people and the local charities are now sending their support and sympathies," the Ambassador expressed.

It can be recalled that last February 22, thousands of stuffed animals, toys, winter clothes, and other items were thrown by soccer fans and viewers onto the soccer field at Istanbul's Vodafone Park during the Turkish Super Lig game between Turkish teams Besiktas and Antalyaspor.

Fans of Besiktas, the home team, were allowed to throw their donated toys and clothes onto the pitch during the 4-minute and 17-second mark of the game, "a somber tribute to the first earthquake that hit Turkey on February 6," according to CBS News.

Besiktas organized the event, which they called "This Toy is My Friend," with the aim to offer comfort as well as "morale" to the kids affected by the earthquakes in both Turkey and Syria.

Read More: Miracle Baby Survives Syria Earthquake; Born Under Rubble, Rescued to Safety

Catastrophic Impact of Earthquake in Turkey

According to the United Nations agencies, there are more than 850,000 children in Turkey and Syria that "remain displaced" after being forced from their earthquake-damaged homes, amid the millions of people who are in dire need of aid.

Families forced from their destroyed houses put their lives on hold and primarily focused on survival. The impact of the tragedy on children and families was reported to be "catastrophic," finding hundreds of thousands of individuals, both young and old, living in distressing conditions.

It is crucial "to do all we can to help families begin to rebuild their lives, providing children with psychosocial support, getting them back into learning as soon as possible, and providing some stability amid the chaos," UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Afshan Khan proclaimed.

The earthquakes and aftershocks resulted in thousands of injured families and the immense destruction of buildings and essential infrastructure like hospitals and schools. The combined death toll from both countries has already reached over 50,000 people.

Related Article: A Young Girl Was Rescued After 65 Hours Under Debris Caused by the Turkey Earthquake