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Belfast Live
National
Lauren Harte

Turkey earthquake: Co Down businesswoman starts fundraising appeal for victims

A Co Down businesswoman, who is half Turkish, has organised a number of fundraisers to aid earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria.

Lisa-Marie Saygivar is raising money for the earthquake victims as the death toll passes 45,000.

Turkish authorities say over 39,000 people have been killed in the country while the Syrian government and the United Nations say more than 5,800 people have died in Syria. These figures continue to rise.

Read more: Turkey earthquake: Syrian family in NI mourning loss of over 20 relatives

Lisa-Marie, 26, is trying to reach a goal of £10,000 to send as aid to help those affected after the deadly quakes rocked southern Turkey and northern Syria ten days ago.

People have lost their lives, homes, families and businesses and your donation can help the survivors with food, shelter and help with the rescue of those that are still trapped under the rubble.

The Rostrevor woman, a skincare specialist who runs her own cosmetics brand, Ari Nadur which she set up during lockdown, said: "I'm half-Turkish myself so I felt obliged to do something to help.

"My dad's side of the family are from Turkey and while he hasn't been impacted on this occasion, he lost family members including some cousins in the Turkish earthquake near Istanbul back in 1999.

"Also I found myself in an earthquake in Kusadası in Turkey last October when I was over there on a business trip and visiting my family. It was 5.2 magnitude, which was very far from what's just happened there, but it was still quite frightening."

Lisa-Marie found herself in an earthquake in Kusadası in Turkey last October (Submitted)

Lisa-Marie has now organised a number of events to help those impacted by last week's quake.

She explained "We have a few different types of fundraising events lined up to raise funds, including a physical fundraising event in Belfast this Sunday, February 19 in Revolution De Cuba in Belfast from 3-6pm.

"We will have entertainment, food stalls, product stalls, raffles and much more with 100% of proceeds going to this cause. Donations will be given through the British Red Cross who are working tirelessly to help rescue people from the rubble."

"There's also an online fundraising event from February 19-21 on my website, where I have donated hundreds of cosmetic products with 100% of sales going straight to this cause.

"Anyone who enters the online fundraising event will also be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win a two week all-inclusive holiday to Turkey in June, which has been kindly donated by a family friend and my father has paid for the flights to help raise money too.

"We are donating all these costs to The British Red Cross and we also have direct contact with the frontline workers currently in Turkey where search and rescue teams are working tirelessly to find any survivors.

"With temperatures reaching below freezing, we must get these funds to them as quickly as possible to rescue as many people as possible before hypothermia sets in. They need our help so please give what you can."

Please follow this link to view the GoFundMe page.

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