Türkiye and Syria are in no way perfect countries, a sentiment shared by their citizens. Both nations are often characterized by tyrannical political regimes. However, in the aftermath of the Kahramanmaraş earthquake, attention to humanitarian issues and the lives of the people impacted take precedence over politics. The earthquake did not just destroy buildings, it devastated the lives and culture of Turkish and Syrian people.

It has been over one month since the earthquake, with a death toll surpassing 45,000 in Türkiye and 5,900 in Syria as of March 1. There have also been 10,000 aftershocks reported in the three weeks following the initial earthquake.

The Oberlin population is not unaffected by casualties. Mahmoud Meslat, visiting instructor of Arabic who has taught at Oberlin for the last 12 years, is Syrian-American. His humanitarian efforts, alongside those of his friends, family, and colleagues, all come from his same core belief: In times of crisis, politics must take a back seat.

“There is no place for politics when it comes to human dignity, … to taking care and making a difference in a child who lost his or her dad and mom, [or] when we look at how many people are suffering now,” Meslat said.

He has also worked with the U.S. government to temporarily lift sanctions against Syria.

“Sometimes, regulations and obstacles are like a fence in front of us, so we can’t move anywhere,” Meslat said. “I tell [the U.S.], ‘You have to lift this sanction, let’s get those victims out of the rubble, let us bury our loved ones instead of them staying buried in cities.’ [The U.S. tries], but sometimes that takes time … by the time they get there, it’s too late for a lot of people because they have to be there [within] 24 to 48 hours to save lives.”

Meslat’s family also conducts philanthropic work in Syria, where they are housing nearly 60 orphaned children.

“We cook for them, provide shelter for them [in] one of my grandfather’s big houses,” Meslat said. “We try our best to make rooms [and] beds, trying to have blankets and clothing for them, as much as we can. … I am grateful for a lot of support — those children need care [and] family, and we get to be their family. Whatever it takes, me and my family are going to be parenting those kids, some of whom are one year old. It’s a very sad situation, but it’s a good cause — if I can make a difference anywhere, I will.”

Despite Syria’s tumultuous political history, Meslat views the earthquake almost as a unifier among Syrian people, because its scope extends beyond political matters into questions of how to save as many lives as possible.

“I wanted to send a voice to tell the children of Syria, all the people of Syria, that we are with you and we will not forget about you,” Meslat said. “We will do everything that we can to make sure that your suffering is heard by the administration, by local political figures, by the churches, by the mosque, by the synagogue, because we all unify here when it comes to tragedy like this. I am grateful to a lot of religious leaders in the community who reach out and call asking me about my family — if they are safe, if they are okay.”

Meslat is not the only member of the Oberlin community working to help Turkish and Syrian citizens. College second-year Zane Badawi, who is Palestinian and co-chairs the Muslim Students Association, and College fourth-year Ada Ateş, who is an international student from Türkiye, have worked tirelessly alongside several other students to raise awareness and send aid.

Badawi worked with the MSA Feb. 23 and 24 to co-sponsor a bake sale with Students for Free Palestine to raise funds for Doctors Without Borders Syria, Rahma, Ahbap, and AKUT Search and Rescue Association. In the process of sending proceeds from the fundraiser to the organizations it was meant to benefit, Badawi directly encountered government corruption.