On Twitch, the well-known and sometimes controversial streamer Hasan “Hasanabi” diligently collects pikers for a good cause. He doesn’t let trolls dissuade him either. Many other streamers followed his call for donations for the victims of the earthquake disaster in Turkey and Syria.
In the early morning hours of February 6, a severe earthquake shook southeastern Turkey and parts of Syria. The earthquake, which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale, was followed by several aftershocks, the strongest of which measured 7.5 (via DW). It is the most devastating earthquake in the region since the 1999 earthquake.
According to current estimates (as of January 8th), more than 11,000 people lost their lives in both countries, there are at least 49,000 injured, the number of missing and buried people is still unknown. In the meantime, many aid missions are on the way, and there is great sympathy from all over the world.
People also want to help on Twitch. The streamer Hasanabi, who became known for his political commentary and does not shy away from controversy, was particularly concerned. He has Turkish roots and part of his family comes from the affected region.
How did the streamer react? Hasanabi is mostly in the “just chatting” category and comments on current news or major political events such as the US election. He responded to a call for donations from a streamer from Turkey and launched an aid campaign in no time at all. Over the course of several streams, it has now raised more than 856,000 euros ($920,929) (as of 01/08).
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Trolls sabotage fundraiser, but helpfulness prevails
The relief effort is very important to Hasanabi because, as he writes on Twitter, he has experienced the force of such a catastrophe firsthand. During the severe earthquake in 1999, he lived with his family in Istanbul and witnessed the extent of the destruction.
Despite some trolls trying to undermine the streamer’s fundraiser, he remains steadfast. It’s not about him, but about the people who suffer from the natural disaster. “Every dollar counts,” he said in one of his streams, and that message resonates.
A counter runs in its streams, which shows the amount donated. The sum increases every second, and many Twitch viewers show their extraordinary willingness to help.
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Hasanabi leads by example – The streamer often attracts attention with controversy, for example when he bought an expensive sports car. But now HasanAbi is motivating his friends and colleagues to also donate to a good cause.
He shared his platform with scientists from Turkey, who explained the earthquake and its aftermath to his audience. Hasanabi also donated US$25,000 to directly help the victims of the disaster.
This is having an effect, because numerous other streamers and internet personalities have also donated to the good cause. Among the biggest donations are numerous familiar faces:
Even one of Twitch’s bad guys, streamer Tyler “Trainwreck” Nikman, known for his gambling streams, pledged to donate $150,000 to a reputable charity if they accept cryptocurrency.
Twitch as a platform and the creators who use it are often criticized. However, actions like those of Hasanabi and all other streamers show the enormous potential of the platform to do something good.
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