The World Cup has a unique way of bringing the world together, and tonight’s matchup between the U.S. and Türkiye is no exception. But as we prepare for the excitement of the game, we’re looking back at how Heart to Heart International and our partners have teamed up over the years to support health and healthcare infrastructure in Türkiye.
Since 2011, HHI has delivered more than $650,000 in medical and humanitarian aid to the region, working to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and support communities through profound challenges.
Rising to the Challenge in 2023
When a catastrophic 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye and Syria in February 2023, the impact was devastating. More than 13 million lives were disrupted, and at least 50,000 people lost their lives. In the wake of this heartbreak, HHI leaned into disaster response, delivering critical shipments of medical supplies, more than 20,000 hygiene kits, and a specialized portable maternal health clinic.
To ensure this critical aid reached families quickly and efficiently, we collaborated with an incredible network of on-the-ground partners, including Global Citizen, Rahma Worldwide, Penny Appeal, Project HOPE, Empathy Social Responsibility and Education Association, and Water Mission. These organizations distributed the hygiene kits directly to the people who needed them most.
The portable clinic provided an immediate, private, and safe space for healthcare professionals to treat patients. In its first six months alone, it provided a space to care for hundreds of patients seeking critical medical care.
A History of Community Unity
Our connection to the region runs deep. Back in 2016, we hosted our largest hygiene kit assembly event to date in New York, called Faith and Heart. This interfaith community build brought together people of multiple faiths to assemble 7,500 hygiene kits bound for refugee camps in Türkiye. It was a special moment that highlighted what can be achieved when people unite for a common cause.
Proud to Stand Alongside our Global Neighbors
Tonight, as we cheer on an exciting game of soccer, we also pause to honor the tremendous resilience of the Turkish people, from those rebuilding after disaster to the refugees who have made the country their home. We are incredibly proud to support their journey toward health and recovery.
