Turkish aid agency distributes Ramadan food aid in Sudan

By Omer Erdem and Ahmet Emin Donmez

KHARTOUM, Sudan / YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AA) - Turkiye’s state-run aid agency distributed food aid to at least 1,000 families in low-income districts in Sudan, as part of its activities during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Bilal Ozden, TIKA's Khartoum coordinator, said the aid agency is carrying out a number of programs throughout the holy month, such as distribution of food aid and iftar, fast-breaking meals.

"In Sudan, we have delivered 1,000 food packages to disadvantaged families, who were identified by our project partners, in the poorest regions of Khartoum such as Azhar, Mayo, Hajj Yusuf and Al-Kalakla," Ozden said.

Noting that TIKA provides iftar at a dormitory where children receiving cancer treatment and their families are sheltered, Ozden said they have completed their Ramadan activities of distributing food packages to low-income workers at a Turkish hospital in Al-Kalakla.

"Aid packages consist of sugar, flour, oil, rice, dates and a local legume ... Approximately 5,000 people benefited from the aid in Sudan," he added.

Separately, the aid agency on Sunday said it has renovated classrooms and provided the necessary material support for the establishment of a computer classroom at Doursoungo Primary School in Cameroon’s northern Maroua city.

TIKA donated 300 desks to the school in order to carry out educational activities and to increase the quality of education in the 20-class school.

TIKA's Yaounde official Burak Ozden, in his speech at the event, said the aid agency has carried out dozens of projects in Cameroon for 10 years in the fields of education, health and agriculture.

Ozden also stated that TIKA will continue its efforts to contribute to Cameroon's development goals in the field of education.

TIKA also delivered 700 food packages to internally displaced people in Cameroon's Maroua city.

Meanwhile, the Turkish aid agency also hosted an iftar dinner for hundreds of people in Uganda. Following the dinner, TIKA together with different Turkish and Pakistani humanitarian organizations jointly distributed relief items including foodstuffs to disadvantaged people.

Can Berk Atasoy, the deputy Turkish ambassador to Uganda, also attended the event that took place in Bulambuli, eastern Uganda.

Muslims in Uganda started Ramadan under the shadow of skyrocketing prices of essential commodities and rising inflation.

During the Ramadan period, TIKA has delivered hundreds of food packages, wheelchairs and white canes to people with disabilities to ease their mobility, and provided a set of camera equipment, including a laptop, to a journalist networking group to ease their field work.

* Writing by Merve Aydogan in Ankara, and Hamza Kyeyune in Kampala contributed to this story