The Anonymous Donor: $30,000,000 to Earthquake Victims

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A Pakistani living in the United States went to the Turkish Embassy to anonymously donate $30 million to those affected by a massive and deadly earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria earlier this week, according to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In a tweet on Saturday, Sharif said he was “deeply moved” by the act.

“These are such glorious acts of philanthropy that enable humanity to triumph over the seemingly insurmountable odds,” he said.

Pakistan’s government formed a committee on Thursday to collect funds and provide supplies for Turkey and Syria, Anadolu Agency, Turkey’s state-run media agency, reported.

On Saturday, the Pakistan National Disaster Management Authority said on Twitter that two more relief consignments were flying to “the sister and brothers” of Turkey to provide aid.

The death toll from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake surpassed 34,000 people this weekend, and thousands more are still reported missing as rescue efforts continue.

And Turkey native Hamdi Ulukaya, the CEO and founder of Chobani yogurt, has pledged to donate $1 million to the Turkish Philanthropy Funds, and said that he will match up to $1 million in additional donations to help people affected by the disaster.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called the earthquake “the disaster of the century.”

As millions face displacement from the disaster, donating money is the most efficient way to support survivors, and the organizations are providing aid in the region, Insider reported.

Amazon AMZN, +1.98% is also among the companies that donated to disaster relief. It’s sending $500,000 in cash donations to groups including the World Food Program, Save the Children, UNICEF, Red Crescent, AKUT Search and Rescue Association, and the AHBAP Foundation. Amazon shoppers can also donate through a new donations page on Amazon’s Türkiye store.

IKEA is sending a roughly $10.7 million donation to Médecins Sans Frontières (an international, independent medical humanitarian organization) intended to aid the earthquake victims, as well.

Source: Insider & MarketWatch