In early February, a volatile 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit vast areas of Turkey and Syria, crumbling cities and impacting millions. Yesim Otsuz, a native of Turkey and the chef and owner of Dolma Mediterranean Cuisine in Brookline, leaped into action. She has been giving interviews, spreading awareness, and fundraising for relief since the news first hit the headlines.
“Because the impacts of the powerful earthquakes were felt far beyond the epicenter, destruction has been really widespread. It is immensely hard to manage to get proper help to the people across this widespread area,” says Otsuz. “Turkey has received a lot of help from all around the world, as well as from its own Turkish people. But, repairing the physical structures and the hearts of the people is going to take several years, if not decades, and they need more and more help every day.“
Otsuz’s family is still in Southern Turkey, close to the site of the earthquake. They are thankfully all safe, but the incident literally and figuratively hit home for this business owner. She encourages locals to support the Bridge to Turkiye Fund, where American dollars can go far in providing aid, or to donate goods like clothes and canned food to the Turkish Consulate downtown.
“With multiple families staying in a single tent, it is hard to find clean water to drink, and maintaining proper hygiene is next to impossible to maintain in these devastating conditions,” says Otsuz. “Women who are menstruating are in constant need of menstrual products, and infants of food and diapers. Animals are in need of food.”
Relief efforts have been underway all over Greater Boston. New England Conservatory faculty member Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol organized a benefit concert just days after the earthquake hit. The DÜNYA Ensemble played a program of Turkish music, including Turkish Sufi songs and Turkish jazz. According to Sanlıkol, several hundred people attended, and the concert raised $12,000 towards the relief effort while spreading awareness about Turkish culture. Sanlıkol plans to host another show, benefitting relief funds.
Otsuz hopes to donate a portion of Dolma’s profits at the end of the year to relief funds as well, although the business has slowed considerably since COVID-19.
“We are also spreading the word of just how devastating the impact has been in Turkey by posting news to social media, sharing links on how to donate to organizations in Turkey, and reminding people of the generosity and welcoming nature of Turkish people,” says Otsuz. “Turkish people need your support as they rebuild what has been lost and grieve those we have lost.”