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Service opportunities while on Best of Turkey RSE tour in May

Greetings,

With all the trauma in Southeast Turkey I am wondering about what we could do to help out in some way if our tour scheduled for early May actually goes ahead. We got an email from RSE Tours indicating they expect to proceed with it, and I would suspect the income to the hotels, shops, guides and restaurants along the way would be helpful to those businesses. I'm just wondering if hands on labor somewhere along the way or after the tour ends could be helpful. We've made contributions to Doctor's without Boarders and World Central Kitchen but is there a need for any logistical help that anyone knows of?

Posted by
16025 posts

My view is that disaster relief work is best left to the trained experts. But money is always welcomed by the organizations that provide help.

Posted by
5370 posts

All the international aid agencies will say to you that is kind hearted, thoughtful and most generous of you, but they need fully trained people who they know and trust, and can't be training people in a live situation.
They would love your money and if you want to offer practical support in future disasters to contact them and go through their training. If you look at the Red Cross for instance they want very specific skill sets and at least two years of training, even in off site logistical support.
I think they'll also say that you need emotional training in what will be deeply harrowing circumstances. They need to be totally confident that their human resources can cope with what they will experience.
Maybe think about some kind of fundraising event in your home town for one of the agencies. Maybe afterwards give a talk or two about your trip to home town groups at fundraising evenings.

Posted by
1936 posts

Either an aid agency like the Red Cross/Red Crescent or World Central Kitchen helping to feed those left homeless need your money. Disaster relief is best left to the professionals.

Posted by
18 posts

Thanks all. We've linked up with friends who live in Istanbul and will help out at the food bank where they volunteer for a day. Mostly moving and packing non-perishables for shipment to distribution centers. Cheers.