Turkey's donations to Somalia exceed TL 526 million

Turkey's donations to Somalia exceed TL 526 million
TODAY'S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL

Turkey has collected more than TL 526 million for drought-afflicted Somalia in fundraising drives, which began during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, according to data released on Thursday by the Prime Ministry's Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD).

A total of TL 526.1 million in donations has been collected in the midst of the humanitarian crisis in Somalia, where Turkey has been a leader among the international community for its outpouring of support.

Under AFAD's coordination, Turkey has sent one plane and eight ships transporting nearly 22,000 tons of humanitarian aid worth approximately TL 67 million to the Somali people. Another TL 87 million went to distribution, security services and other costs.

AFAD, in a statement to the Anatolia news agency, thanked all institutions, organizations and philanthropists for their support of Somalia in such difficult times.

Turkish aid organizations such as Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) and Doctors Worldwide have said they will not shy away from their commitment to Somalia despite the country's chronic violence and will continue their presence and aid to the starving and homeless people there.

Aid organization Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) has begun baking bread among its many other activities in the region, Anatolia reported on Wednesday. A mobile bakery that the charity has set up in the Somali capital of Mogadishu produces around 10,000 loaves of bread per day.

The head of Kızılay's Somalia's delegation, Şafak Lostar, told Anotolia that the aid group is working for the survival of the Somali people with its assistance. “We have already begun baking bread, and we will also begin producing other food in the next few days. We plan to distribute hot meals to 10,000 people per day and provide 10,000 loaves of bread each day. We will train the locals so that they will be able to one day provide for themselves,” he said.

Turkish charity the Nile Organization opened the first Turkish high school in Somalia on Monday in Mogadishu, and Turkey and Kimse Yok Mu have provided hundreds of scholarships for Somali students to study in Turkey.

Somalia, which has been characterized as a failed state, has been struggling with civil war since 1991, political instability and the worst drought the region has witnessed in 60 years

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