A 9-year-old Turkish boy who survived an earthquake last year has donated his entire piggy-bank savings to Earthquake victims in Turkey. The earthquake devasted Turkey and Syria and killed more than 28,000 people. Alparslan Efe Demir was upset by the sufferings of thousands.
According to a report by Gulf News, the young boy had to live in the tents set up by Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) for a while after a magnitude 5.9 earthquake hit the northwestern Duzce province in November.
Demir told his mother that he wanted to help the people and wanted to send the money in his piggy bank to the survivors.
The boy and his mother visited the Duzce branch of the Turkish Red Crescent and gave the money to the authorities. The young boy also wrote an emotional letter to the survivors.
He wrote, "I was very scared when there was an earthquake in Duzce. I had the same fear when I heard about the earthquake in many of our cities. That is why I decided to send the pocket money given by my elders to the children there."
"It is okay if I do not buy chocolate here. Children there should not be cold or hungry. I will send my clothes and toys to the children there," he added.
Tens of thousands of rescue workers are scouring flattened neighbourhoods despite freezing weather that has deepened the misery of millions now in desperate need of aid.
Security concerns led some aid operations to be suspended, and dozens of people have been arrested for looting or trying to defraud victims in the aftermath of the quake in Turkey, according to state media.
Officials and medics said 24,617 people had died in Turkey and 3,574 in Syria. The confirmed total now stands at 28,191, AFP reported.
