Poppy is determined to raise awareness of the natural disaster in Turkey and Syria, claiming the victims are forgotten as people are focusing on Israel's occupation on Palestine and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
- Feb 11, 2024
AceShowbiz - Poppy Delevingne embarked on a "heartbreaking" trip to Turkey shortly after the earthquake that killed thousands of people. The 37-year-old model becomes an ambassador for Save the Children and visited the Middle East country shortly after the Turkey-Syria earthquakes in 2023 that claimed the lives of 55,000 people and has now opened up about the "shocking" experience on the first anniversary of the tragic weather event.
"When earthquakes ripped through Turkey and Syria last February, more than 55,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were forced from their homes," she wrote in a piece for HELLO Magazine.
"Visiting eight months after the disaster, I was shocked by the level of devastation that was still visible. I saw endless mountains of rubble and damaged buildings, with families and children living on the side of the road among the ruins in tents and containers."
"It was the end of October and you could already feel the cold coming in. It was heartbreaking but also astonishing to meet these extraordinary people, who showed so much resilience in the aftermath of the disaster, which at the time received a lot of global attention."
The "Bittersweet Symphony" actress - who is the older sister of fellow catwalk star Cara Delevingne - explained that because of other world events such as the conflict in Israel and the Ukraine war, it almost seems as if the victims of the Turkey-Syria earthquakes have been forgotten and she is trying to "shine a light" on those who need help there.
She said, "But because there's so much going on in the world, including conflict in Israel and war in Ukraine, it feels as if these people have been forgotten."
"That's why I wanted to shine a light on the disaster, particularly in Hatay and Adiyaman, two of the worst-hit provinces, and the work that Save the Children is doing to help these families rebuild their lives by providing much-needed facilities, such as showers and toilets, as well as mental health support, hygiene kits and winter supplies."
