How to help victims of the earthquake in Turkey

Carilyn Pointer - A 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Turkey and Syria has killed thousands of people and devastated the lives of thousands of survivors. The death toll exceeds 11,000 people, as rescuers continue to search and race against the clock. The impacts of earthquakes and other natural disasters transcend man-made boundaries which demonstrates the need for networks and reveal how they operate.

Networks may take different forms, from a large company to drug smugglers, or in this case non-profit organizations bringing humanitarian aid. Regardless of their purpose, networks are made of a collection of nodes that are linked together. Each node has a specific purpose and task but all work to contribute to the function of the network. For example, in humanitarian organizations, they may have a headquarters in the United States, but have contacts and offices in multiple other countries. Through the transport of volunteers and goods between those locations the network functions as a larger entity. This allows them to quickly provide aid in natural disaster situations, no matter the location. Networks don’t have to stay within a single territory, because of how they are organized and therefore may interact without regards to boundaries or regions. This ability is extremely useful in situations such as this, in which the impacts and ability to act do not stay contained within a single country. During this time, the best way to offer aid and support is through networks such as UNICEF, Global Giving, Red Cross, and Doctors without borders. Many people may feel helpless when disasters happen globally, but because of networks, we are more connected than ever before to offer aid.

Though natural disasters are uncontrollable, some are blaming the high death toll on the Syrian government. After years of political unrest and terrorism the country’s government is effectively weakened, which is putting a large hinderance on rescue efforts. Many feel abandoned by their government in during this time of crisis, which has led to the arrest of 18 people after they released “proactive posts” on social media. Even a natural event that transcends territory cannot escape the geopolitics of sovereignty.

_{Picture Credit: Photo distributed under public domain VOA. Source}