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Monday’s devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria have already claimed the lives of more than 7,000 people, and sadly, the death toll is only expected to rise as search efforts continue.
In the meantime, countries from around the world — including the United States — have sent in rescue teams to help in any way they can, and good samaritans have set up countless fundraisers to aid the victims who’ve been displaced.
One such fund was immediately set up by 31-year-old gamer Hasan Doğan Piker (AKA HasanAbi), who has risen to international fame by live-streaming himself on Twitch while playing popular video games. In the first 15 minutes, Hasan’s fans managed to raise more than $150,000 for those impacted by the earthquakes.
Now that the fund has been live for just over 24 hours, it’s earned a whopping $808,000.
According to AFK Gaming, Hasan was adamant that the Turkey and Syria Earthquakes Fund benefit charities not associated with any government, so he could be sure that the money truly goes to those in need. As a result, it is now set to benefit four major nonprofits: Ahbap, CARE Turkey, CARE Syria and AKUT Association.
“Absolutely devastating,” Hasan tweeted shortly after hearing the news on Monday. “I was in Istanbul in 1999 which was a 7.6, this was a 7.8. I will do everything I can to help.”
Despite his massive fundraising success, things haven’t exactly been smooth sailing for Hasan. According to reports, many people on Twitch tried to sabotage the streamer’s efforts by discouraging others not to donate to the fund and dismissing it as nothing more than an online “scam.”
In fact, when another popular video game streamer vowed to donate to the fund, viewers loudly discouraged him from doing so.
Darren Watkin, who is better known by the online alias “IShowSpeed,” pledged $50,000 to the charity when people started to warn him against it. As a result, another streamer even released a YouTube video in support of Hasan, while admonishing the backlash he’s been getting.
“You don’t have to like the person who does a good deed, but you can appreciate the good deed that was done,” said Charles Christopher White Jr., who is known online as MoistCr1TiKaL.
Despite the hate, the fund continues to raise money for the victims in Turkey and Syria, which at the end of the day is all Hasan seems to care about. On Tuesday, the gamer proudly updated his Twitter followers with how much he’d raised, noting that he hopes to reach $1 million in relief efforts soon to help as many victims as possible.
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