A barber who has family in Turkey will donate all of a day’s profits this weekend to help victims of the catastrophic earthquake which has hit Northern Syria and Turkey.
Zack Akan runs Zack’s Barber in Preston Road, Brighton.
Originally from Mardin, in the south east of Turkey, the 25-year-old moved here five years ago.
On Sunday, Zack and his team will work voluntarily and donate all the profits they make directly to Ahbap, a charity carrying out humanitarian work in Turkey.
They will also donate profits to a charity working in Northern Syria.
“We have started this campaign because of the awful situation in Turkey,” Zack told The Argus.
“Northern Syria and Turkey are in desperate need of help due to the catastrophic earthquake that has shocked the world.”
“I have family there. Two of my aunties are thankfully alive but they have lost their homes.
“They are both living in a sports centre at the minute.”
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Homes, hospitals and transport routes have all suffered horrendous damage.
Thousands of lives have been lost and many people are yet to be discovered.
Civilians are trapped and have little hope of survival in freezing temperatures.
Zack said: “The chosen charities will deliver food, water, blankets, baby milk, nappies, medication, and other essentials to people suffering in Turkey and Northern Syria.
“We all have a duty to help everyone affected by the disaster.
“We want to do this to raise money and encourage other people to do the same.”
Aid workers have expressed their concerns about the help being provided to Syria after the devastating earthquake – describing the current situation as a “nightmare scenario”.
The death toll from the 7.8 magnitude quake has passed 21,000 since it hit on Monday – reducing thousands of homes and buildings across the south of Turkey and northern Syria to rubble as people slept.
Zack said that he and his staff would not take tips from anyone.
“One hundred per cent of what we get will go straight to charity,” he said.
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