Adekugbe, Hutchinson support Red Cross emergency fund for Turkey and Syria

Canadian footballers Samuel Adekugbe and Atiba Hutchinson have partnered to help Red Cross in their delivery of emergency relief to those that have been affected by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria on Monday 6 February. At the same time, the Government of Canada has announced it will match donations from individuals from 6 to 22 February to the Earthquake in Türkiye and Syria Appeal, up to a maximum of $10 million.

Donations can be made through the Canadian Red Cross webpage: www.redcross.ca/turkiyesyriaappeal/atibaandsam/

Hutchinson, captain of Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team, has starred in Istanbul, Turkey with Beşiktaş JK since 2013-14 while Samuel Adekugbe has been in Antakya with Hatayspor FC since August 2021. Antakya is one of the cities devastated by the earthquakes.

Speaking to Canadian media on Wednesday from Istanbul, two FIFA World Cup stars appealed to Canadians to support the relief efforts following the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Adekugbe also shared his account of what happened in Antakya and some of the immediate impact on the people in the province of Hatay.

“Just in that drive from my building to the training ground, you saw collapsed buildings, fires, people crying and digging through the rubble and the broken pieces of houses, just things you never expected to see,” said Adekugbe. “Heading towards the centre of the city, you could see that it was even worse with roads split, bridges broken, high rises just completely collapsed, and families just looking for their loved ones. It was just unfathomable, something that you never really expected.”

Along with the Canadian Red Cross initiative, Adekugbe and Hutchinson also noted that Ahbap is another important organisation in Turkey that is supporting relief efforts for those affected by the Earthquakes.

“We’re trying to get the message out in Canada and trying to get help and donations for the people that are in need of that here in Turkey,” said Hutchinson.

The Red Cross Red Crescent is working to deliver emergency relief and to get help to those impacted by the earthquakes as quickly as possible. Money raised will enable the Red Cross Red Crescent to provide immediate relief, ongoing recovery efforts and resiliency and preparedness activities in impacted and surrounding areas. The activities and areas impacted may evolve based on emerging needs and compounding humanitarian crises.