Turkish charity helps nearly 1M people in 82 countries

By Nazli Yuzbasioglu

ANKARA (AA) - As part of its Ramadan campaign, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) distributed food, hygiene packages and hot meals to nearly a million people in need across 82 countries.

According to data released by the state-run charity, 137,000 food packages and 19,000 hygiene packages were distributed during the Muslim holy month.

Also, 70,000 people were given meals as part of their Saints Table campaign across five continents.

TIKA head Serkan Kayalar told Anadolu Agency the campaign is inspired by Anatolian values.

In the Balkan region, TIKA distributed Ramadan packages to at least 1,000 needy families in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Food packages were also delivered to 2,000 families in Serbia's capital Belgrade and the Sanjak region.

At least 1,000 elderly and disable people were given ready-to-eat meals at their home.

Some 3,000 families in Northern Macedonia received food packages.

Another 3,500 families who were affected by the pandemic in Albania were distributed food.

Takeaway meals were given to 2,800 people during the month.

- Eastern Europe and Central Asia

In Kosovo, 1,700 food and 600 hygiene packages were delivered to families. Ramadan packages were also distributed to 2,000 families in 13 cities of Montenegro.

Families in Moldova, Ukraine, Croatia and Romania also received TIKA's Ramadan packages.

Food and hygiene packages were also delivered to social assistance centers that serve the homeless in different cities of Hungary.

Additionally, Ramadan packages were distributed to Crimean Karaites and Tatar families in Lithuania and to families in need in Andalusia region of Spain.

At least 2,500 families in Azerbaijan, especially the families of martyrs and veterans, and displaced people of Karabakh received food packages.

In Uzbekistan, a total of 4,630 families received food packages and 2,500 families across Kyrgyzstan received both food and hygiene packages.

More than 1,000 families in five different regions in Tajikistan received food packages. At least 1,200 low-income families living in Mongolia received food packages and 1,200 families benefited from the distribution programs organized in Kazakhstan.

- Afghanistan and Middle East

TIKA distributed food to 3,300 families across Afghanistan via its Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat offices. Some 4,400 people benefited from the iftar tables set up. Various gifts and stationery were given to orphans.

Food aid was given to 14,500 families in Palestine during the month of Ramadan. The aid agency delivered food aid to 9,000 families in the West Bank and 5,500 families in the Gaza Strip. In addition, daily iftar meals were distributed to 7,000 families in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Families in need across Iraq and Syria were also provided with Ramadan packages.

Approximately 45 tons of food was distributed to the needy in Yemen, especially orphanages, women's shelters, disadvantaged groups and to those internally displaced. During Ramadan, food was distributed to 500 people a day and aid was delivered to 16,000 Yemenis.

At least 150 tons of food aid was delivered to 10,000 families in Lebanon, mainly in capital Beirut and Tripoli. A 21-ton food package was shared with 900 families in need in Jordan.

- Africa

In Africa, TIKA has reached out to a large number of people in Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia and Ethiopia.

Food packages were delivered to 1,500 families, including orphans, in Chad.

At least 2,000 food packages were distributed in the camp of Eritrean refugees in Sudan and in the poor districts of the capital Khartoum.

Food packages were distributed to 500 families in Senegal during Ramadan.

Furthermore, food packages were given to 2,650 families in Natal, Gauteng and Western Cape states of South Africa.

At least 450 families in need in Namibia and 750 families living in villages in Lesotho were given Ramadan packages.

In Mozambique, food aid was given to two elderly nursing homes and two orphanages.

Families in Cameroon, Niger and Zimbabwe also received aid by TIKA. Food packages were delivered to 2,500 families in Gambia. At least 1,000 families benefited from distribution programs in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Ghana, South Sudan, Rwanda and Zambia.

In North Africa, Ramadan packages were distributed to 1,300 families in Algeria and Tunisia, as well as 1,500 families in Libya.

- Rohingya refugees

TIKA provided meals to 5,000 Rohingya Muslim families and delivered aid packages consisting of basic food supplies to 5,300 families at camp number 16 in Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh.

In Pakistan, 4,000 families received a total of 55 tons of food packages at D.I. Khan, Mardan, Charsadda, Muzaffarabad and Federally Administered Tribal Areas regions.

Food packages were distributed to 1,300 families who make a living by collecting garbage in the city of Karachi.

Approximately 6,000 families in need benefited from distribution programs in South American countries including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Guyana, Paraguay, Trinidad Tobago, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Suriname and Uruguay. Ramadan packages were also delivered to those in need in the island country of Fiji in the Pacific and in Vietnam, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.

In the US, in cooperation with the Turkish American Steering Committee (TASC), Ramadan packages were distributed to 500 families in need.

Additionally, hygiene packages and 200,000 masks were distributed in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

*Writing by Merve Aydogan