Students from universities across Turkey to visit African, Middle Eastern countries
Some 500 Turkish students will undertake various projects in 30 countries between July 29-Sept. 8.
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), Turkish Airlines (THY), Anadolu Agency (AA) and Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) have organized the "2018 Experience Sharing Program".
Students from 117 universities are participating in the program.
The first team which is going to Niger and Jordan spoke to Anadolu Agency prior to their journey.
Batuhan Zeki Öztürk, a law student in Selcuk University, said he is excited about going to Niger.
"Instead of going to European countries, I chose to take the opportunity to see our Muslim brothers and sisters in Africa and to understand their life. The spirit in that land is much different. Everyone can go to developed countries, but fewer people go to Africa. So I am very grateful to TIKA for giving such opportunities to young people,” he said.
Özturk said that in the first two days they would visit the southwestern city of Dosso to participate in the "Youth Caravan" program organized by Niger Education and Entrepreneurship Ministry with the support of TIKA.
Then, they would participate in charity and cultural activities in capital Niamey.
Turkey’s aid agency aims to instill in students a sense of volunteering with around 100 projects that will be realized abroad.The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) will send 500 students from 117 universities in Turkey to 30 countries between July 29 and Sept. 8, within the framework of “2018 Experience Sharing Program”.The students, including 300 males and 200 females, will participate in around 100 projects and activities in the countries they visit.The program will give the students an opportunity to observe the TIKA and Turkish non-governmental organizations’ efforts.Turkish agency to send Eid meat to 3M people abroadThe program will begin on July 29 with an orientation in Istanbul and after that the first group will leave for Niger.Apart from Niger, the students will go to Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Djibouti, Chad, Morocco, Ghana, Georgia, Cameroon, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Colombia, Lebanon, Macedonia, Mozambique, Namibia, Uzbekistan, Romania, Senegal, Serbia, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Jordan, Moldova and South Africa.They will participate in the implementation of projects related to renovation and reparation of schools, orphanages, libraries and places of worship, as well as providing them with equipment.The students will also join social, cultural and humanitarian aid activities.Zambia eyes more Turkish investorsExperience Sharing ProgramThe program includes interaction between the university students in Turkey and the youth living in different regions of Africa, Asia, Balkans and Middle East, where TIKA is supporting development projects.It also aims at building “friendship bridges” between the students.The program was first organized in 2017 by TIKA in cooperation with Turkish Airlines, Anadolu Agency and state broadcaster Turkish Radio and Television (TRT).Last year’s program was attended by 220 students, who visited 19 countries and fulfilled 28 projects.The students visited Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania, Kenya, Senegal, Guinea, Cameroon, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Uganda, Jordan and Lebanon.
TIKA aims to instill sense of volunteering in students
The head of Turkey's state aid agency praises Africa's "great interest" in Turkey.Serdar Cam, head of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), joined the delegation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who arrived on Wednesday in Johannesburg to attend the BRICS summit."We are getting a great interest and affinity [in Africa] which we try to reciprocate," Cam told Anadolu Agency.Speaking about ongoing projects of TIKA on the African continent, Cam said that TIKA is in the process of opening a new office in Zambia.Stating that the fate of Somalia changed after Erdogan visited the country in 2011, Cam said that TIKA will continue to carry projects into effect.Twenty Turkish aid projects in last 6 months in S.AfricaTurkish institute brings Turkey, South Africa closerSpeaking about the TIKA's works, which are carried out across the continent, Cam recalled the first office of the agency which was opened in Ethiopia in 2005.Cam said that various projects were implemented through the nearly 25 offices across the continent."In every field, including agriculture, health, husbandry, education, strengthening infrastructure and government capacity, we are sharing all these experiences of our state," he said.Fight against FETÖCam said that Turkey's cooperation with African countries will increase and TIKA will continue to support development projects there.Speaking about the fight against Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) -- the group behind the defeated coup attempt of July 2016 -- Cam said that Turkey is fighting the terrorist organization effectively with its institutions."Our institutions like TIKA, Maarif Foundation, Yunus Emre and YTB are working to contribute positively to this process by actively doing good work against this treacherous organization (FETÖ) which deceived the world for many years on the field," he said.Established in 1992, Turkey's government-run aid agency is responsible for implementing Turkey's developmental cooperation policies overseas. The agency carries out development cooperation activities in 170 countries via its 62 program coordination offices in 59 countries across five continents.
Turkish aid agency cheers Africa's interest in Turkey
'Africa feels special'
Ozan Ergün a finance student of Afyon Kocatepe University, said that this program will provide students a chance to get acquainted with African culture more closely.
He said he is excited at the prospect of visiting Niger.
"We are wondering what we will encounter and what kind of people we are going to meet. I have had the opportunity to visit many countries and meet different people, but I have to admit that Africa feels very special."
Ali Imran Kosker, a political science and public administration student at Istanbul University will stay in Jordan for 10 days.
"The fastest way to win the hearts of people in the Middle East or the whole Muslim community is to tell them you came from Turkey. I am very excited and happy to go to Jordan with an organization spreading love from Turkey to the world."
Ibrahim Özoruç, a student at Inonu University, who will also visit Jordan said they will try to help out other people.
"This program will enable us to be aware of our lost values and revive our love and companionship with our brothers and sisters," he added.
Selahattin Govec, a student at Necmettin Erbakan University, who will also head to Jordan, said they would make Turkey proud.
"We will be happy and smiling at the end of our activities. As a descendant of the Ottoman Empire, I am feeling very proud and wonderful to be involved in such a program which enables me to understand people and see places which were part of the empire at once," he said.