HELENA — A 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated parts of southeast Turkey and northern Syria early Monday. The death toll climbed to over 5,000 on Tuesday.
Helena non-profit Hands On Global specializes in assisting disadvantaged, underserved, and displaced people, primarily with basic healthcare, and plans to help survivors.
Executive director Valerie Hellerman says when they heard of the devastating earthquake they immediately started looking at how they might help.
"Hands On Global is actually a primary care medical team. We are not the emergency medical team that would first go into a disaster, but we're the teams that follow," said Hellerman.
They're currently helping in Ukraine. Hellerman has made several trips to the country and is preparing to head back there next month.
"Right now we're working in Ukraine and we're delivering complex trauma equipment and orthopedic medical supplies and doing a wound clinic. And we are leaving. I am leaving March seventh for three weeks," said Hellerman.
Hellerman said Tuesday that she has been in contact with other aid groups who have requested trauma and orthopedic equipment for earthquake-impacted areas in Northern Syria.
Hellerman says providing the type of aid to the areas impacted by war or disaster is complex and takes time to prepare.
Hands On Global needs to secure supplies, especially medication, and equipment.
"Going to a place like Ukraine or if we go to Syria or Turkey, it requires a lot of medication. So we have to order them, and that usually takes three weeks. I mean, some of the places have been really great and I can get it like dropshipped in a week's time," said Hellerman.
Hellerman says if they can source the supplies, they will divert a member of their team to Istanbul to deliver those supplies and that any donations would help.
"The supplies come from companies usually nonprofits that work with humanitarian organizations," said Hellerman, "I have a couple of supplies overseas where hospitals and doctors donate medications and used equipment and they're all current. They're not outdated, but they have these extra supplies and they supply them to humanitarian organizations."
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