Four Hungarian Hare Krishna devotees are set to leave Budapest for Turkey early Friday. They will distribute cooked food to survivors in the area of Turkey hardest hit by the earthquake, together with a local team of Turkish devotees. 

With permission from the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the volunteers will travel to Antakya, in Hatay Province, where they will prepare cooked meals in a truck converted into a mobile kitchen and distribute them locally. The simple, nutritious food will help feed both the survivors and those participating in the rescue operations. Distribution will take place at a central location designated by the military authorities.

The first response to any natural disaster is to search for survivors and treat the wounded. In the meantime, emergency infrastructure must be set up. Caring for survivors poses a challenge because, in the disaster-stricken area, the infrastructure is destroyed, roads are barely passable, and the buildings that are still standing may collapse at any moment. In such a situation, the arrival of professionally equipped, experienced relief teams can be of immense help. They can fill critical gaps by providing fresh mental and physical resources and offering tangible assistance to survivors. Even though the area is unsafe, providing aid on the ground is crucial because survivors cannot—or will not—leave the area as they search for missing family members who may be trapped under the rubble, waiting to be rescued.

The food distribution mission is getting underway with the help of the Turkish subsidiary and the support of the international transport and logistics company, DSV, which is providing vehicles, food ingredients, utensils, drivers, and interpreters, as well as coordinators and volunteers to assist with the mission. Donations are coming in from international companies that had previously supported the aid mission organized by Hare Krishna Food for Life for Ukraine.

The Hungarian team is led by Attila Szanyi-Karl, the experienced chairman of the food distribution foundation. Given the circumstances, they will set up facilities to provide hundreds, or even thousands, of portions of hot food daily. This mission will not affect the food distribution program in Hungary—which will continue seamlessly under the staff members remaining in Hungary. As usual, they are providing thousands of portions of hot food daily to Hungarians in need.

This is not the first time that Hungarian food aid distributors have helped feed people affected by disasters. The Hare Krishna Food for Life program was on the ground in Sri Lanka after the tsunami, in Haiti after the earthquake, in Bosnia after the landslide, and also in Ukraine, while in Hungary they assisted people in flood-stricken areas, the victims of the Devecser mudslide, and were helping waves of refugees. Not even the COVID-19 pandemic could stop their mission.

The Hare Krishna devotees express their heartfelt sympathies to the Turkish people; they offer their prayers for the victims and for the rapid restoration of living conditions for the survivors, whom they are assisting through food distribution. Such disasters are painful reminders of the fleeting nature of human life; therefore, the devotees hope that they will serve as a reminder to warring parties in various conflicts to cease hostilities as soon as possible.

You can make a donation to support the food relief program here:
Food for Life Hungary –  www.karitativ.hu, mention „Turkey” in the comment
Food for Life Turkey – https://www.yasamicinyemek.org/en