In cooperation between Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Indonesia and the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Türkiye, the “Renewable Solar Energy Training” was organized for experts studying in the field of renewable solar energy in African countries.
The first stage of the training, planned to be a 2-stage training, was held in Ankara and Konya. A total of 12 engineers and academicians working in the solar energy sector in Senegal, Tanzania, Mozambique and Namibia attended the training.
Within the scope of the training, participants had the opportunity to observe the sector’s experience in Türkiye through field visits and acquire theoretical information on the solar energy sector.
Instructors assigned by the Directorate General for Vocational and Technical Education of the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Türkiye, together with instructors from the Ministry of Energy of Indonesia, provided theoretical and practical lessons to participants in solar energy workshops of the Cezeri Green Technology Anatolian Technical and Vocational High School.
The group visited the Kalyon Solar Technologies Factory, which gives the opportunity to observe all stages of the conversion process from polysilicon to solar panels in a single facility, and had the opportunity to examine their theoretical knowledge on-site. Also visiting the Kalyon Solar Power Plant in Karapınar, Konya, participants received detailed information about the largest solar power plant in Europe.
At the end of the training, a certificate ceremony was held with the participation of TİKA’s Vice President, Dr. Rahman Nurdun; the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations and Partnerships at TİKA, Uğur Tanyeli; the Undersecretary of Political Affairs of the Indonesian Embassy in Ankara, Dhanny Perkasa; the Branch Manager of the Directorate General for Vocational and Technical Education of the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Türkiye, Kadriye Kılıç and the Principal of the Cezeri Green Technology Anatolian Technical and Vocational High School, Mustafa Aydın.
Upon receiving their certificates, participants expressed their gratitude for the training program.
The second stage of the training program will be held in October 2024 in Indonesia, in cooperation with TİKA and Indonesian authorities.
In a first for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), the “Mobile Library” has been implemented by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) to support recycling and is finally put into service.
The interior of the bus donated as scrap was transformed into a library by TİKA at Değirmenlik High School, which continues its educational activities since 1977. A space was created by establishing an awning on the front part of the bus to enable students to read and socialize.
Değirmenlik High School did not have a library as the present library had been converted into a classroom due to a shortage of classrooms. The project aims to both encourage reading and develop environmental awareness among students.
“Champion Angels and Birkan Uzun Library”
The library was named the “Champion Angels and Birkan Uzun Library” in memory of Girls’ and Boys’ Volleyball teams of the Famagusta Turkish Maarif College, who lost their lives in Adıyaman in the February 6 earthquakes, and Northern Cypriot mountaineer Birkan Uzun, who bravely waved the flag of the TRNC at the summit of Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica, and tragically passed away because of an accident in the USA.
Mayor of Değirmenlik-Akıncılar, Ali Karavezirler; TİKA’s Coordinator in Nicosia, Havva Pınar Özcan Küçükçavuş; Birkan Uzun’s father and the Director of General Secondary Education Department of the TRNC Ministry of Education, Cengiz Topel Uzun; the President of the Champion Angels Preservation Association, Ruşen Karakaya; along with parents, school administration and students attended the opening program within the end-of-year activities at Değirmenlik High School.
Within the scope of the program, various events were organized by students and their exhibitions were visited.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided a feed pellet machine to fishers working in Yumbe, a city in the northwest of Uganda, to enhance their production capacities.
In Yumbe, located in the northwest of the country and being the second poorest region, through the ACOSED development program, which carries out activities for the city’s development under the guidance of Yumbe Deputy Naima Melsa Gule Avako, important activities are implemented regarding fish products, which rank as the country’s third top export item.
Nearly 3 tons of production
Despite high feed costs, a daily production capacity of nearly 3 tons is achieved thanks to the feed pellet machine provided by TİKA in the region, where approximately 100 fishers work. The project aims to reach fishers working in 10 different cities, especially in Yumbe, and in the settlements on the borders of Congo and South Sudan.
The city of Yumbe aims to set an example in fish farming
Speaking at the delivery ceremony, Yumbe Deputy Naima Melsa Gule Avako expressed, “Today marks a revolutionary day for the hardworking people of Yumbe. We will always remember Türkiye’s support,and we will ensure that Yumbe becomes an exemplary region for fish farming by enhancing our efforts in order to show that we always remember this support.”
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) renovated the gymnasium of a vocational training school in the province of Bayan-Ölgii to create a suitable educational environment for children residing in rural areas of Mongolia.
The 3rd School, which has been providing education for 57 years in the province of Bayan-Ölgii, enrolls 1,420 students. At the school, located approximately 1,700 km far from the capital, Ulaanbaatar, vocational training is provided in the fields of construction, production and agriculture. TİKA renovated the gymnasium of the 3rd School in the province of Bayan-Ölgii, which had not undergone comprehensive repairs for years, to enable students living in rural areas to engage in physical education lessons in a safe environment complying with modern education standards, and to convert the gymnasium into a venue capable of hosting sports events and competitions held in the province of Bayan-Ölgii.
During the speech at the opening ceremony of the gymnasium, the 3rd School Principal Ayaujan Baygalım said, “TİKA has been implementing many projects in our province, where mostly Kazakhs live. Taking into account difficult winter conditions, they established a modern building equipped with electricity and heating systems, and they improved hygiene conditions for our students in 2022. Additionally, this year they have renovated the gymnasium of our school. I would like to express my gratitude to the Turkish people and TİKA for their contributions to this beautiful project.”
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided machinery and equipment support to the Sahel Cooperative which produces neem oil in Maroua, Cameroon.
The equipment was delivered to cooperative officials with a ceremony attended by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Yaoundé, Volkan Işıkçı; TİKA’s officials; the Manager of Education Programs in Maroua, Haoua Diddi, members of the cooperative and many other guests.
Within the scope of the project, large-capacity oil production and grain drying machines, as well as other necessary production equipment were provided.
TİKA aims to create new employment opportunities for women by increasing their participation by 10 percent in the cooperative, which has 150 women members working in production and delivery, and which has recently increased its production capacity. With the income from the sale of products of neem seed (oil, soap, etc.), TİKA also aims to finance the planting of new saplings, especially to create canopies in schools, in the region with a desert climate.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) equipped all classrooms of the Turkish Education Center (TÖMER) in Dushanbe, the capital of the country, with smart boards to contribute to the center’s infrastructure.
The Republic of Türkiye’s Ambassador to Dushanbe, Umut Acar; TİKA’s Coordinator in Dushanbe, İbrahim Ethem Ünal; the Manager of the Turkish Education Center in Dushanbe, Haydar Deveci, teachers of TÖMER and students attended the ceremony held at the center.
Affiliated with the Embassy of Dushanbe, the center has been offering free Turkish courses to Tajik citizens since 1995. Eight teachers assigned by the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Türkiye work at the center, where nearly 1,000 students annually learn Turkish. TÖMER, the only center in Tajikistan providing Turkish education, is of great importance in terms of strengthening friendly ties between these two nations, promoting Turkish culture and providing Turkish-speaking personnel to Turkish companies operating in Tajikistan.
The province of Khovd is 1,500 km away from the capital Ulaanbaatar, consisting of 17 districts and having a population of 90,137. TİKA provided kitchen equipment to every district health center in the province of Khovd, aiming to provide healthcare services in accordance with modern standards to citizens residing in rural areas and to contribute to food safety.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided kitchen equipment to serve healthy meals to patients in 17 district health centers in the province of Khovd, aiming to improve health infrastructure in rural areas of Mongolia.
The Governor of Buyant District in Khovd Province, Çuluuntsetseg Erdene said, “TİKA had previously provided kitchen equipment to preschools in our district. Thousands of children had benefited from that project. And now, the kitchen equipment of our district health centers has been renewed. Thus, food safety has been ensured in our educational and healthcare institutions. On behalf of myself and my nation, I would like to express gratitude to the Turkish people and TİKA for their support to our city and district.”
The President of Religious Affairs, Ali Erbaş and the President of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), Serkan Kayalar, who were in Baghdad as part of the formal visit of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Iraq, visited Complexes of Abdul Qadir Gilani and Imam al-A’zam, which were restored by TİKA.
The museum, which was in an idle situation in the outbuildings of the Imam al-A’zam Complex, was converted into the Museum of Imam al-A’zam by TİKA and reopened.
The President of Religious Affairs, Erbaş; TİKA’s President, Kayalar; the President of the Iraqi Fiqh Council, Sheikh Ahmed Hassan Al-Taha; the Member of the Supreme Council of Fiqh Scholars, Dr. Sheikh Abdulwahab Al-Samarrai; the Deputy Chairman of the Sunni Foundation Council, Dr. Ammar Al-Samarrai and the Dean of the Faculty of Imam al-A’zam, Dr. Salah Fileyih visited the Tomb of Imam al-A’zam, and they said prayers.
The golden box and case, specially prepared in Türkiye to preserve the Sakal-ı Şerif in honour of President Erdoğan, were placed by in the museum established by TİKA with the recitation of salawat.
The restoration of the “Complex of Imam al-A’zam Abu Hanifa,” which also includes the tomb of the great Islamic scholar and faqīh (Islamic jurist), Imam al-A’zam Abu Hanifa, in Baghdad, was commenced by TİKA in 2019 under the auspices of President Erdoğan.
The technical infrastructure of the complex was improved, and the idle section was converted into the Library of Imam al-A’zam.
The Complex of Abdul Qadir Gilani was also visited
The President of Religious Affairs, Erbaş; TİKA’s President, Kayalar; the Primary Trustee of the Kadiriye Foundations and the Mosque and Tomb of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gilani, Seyit Halit Abdülkader Mansur El-Geylani; the Second Trustee of the Kadiriye Foundations and the Mosque and Tomb of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gilani, Sheikh Afifuldin Abdulkadir Mansur El-Geylani visited the Complex of Abdul Qadir Gilani.
Within the complex, the mosque, restored by TİKA, was inspected. Inside the complex, the exhibition area, which features many ancestral works, was visited.
The “Complex of Abdul Qadir Gilani also includes the tomb of Abdul Qadir Gilani, a great Sufi, the founder of the Qadiriyya Order and one of the important figures in Islamic history, in Baghdad. The complex is being restored by TİKA under the auspices of President Erdoğan.
Within the scope of the works commenced and meticulously implemented by TİKA since 2018, restorations were carried out at many areas, from its dome built by Mimar Sinan to its minbar, from carpets to chandeliers, from fountains to doors, from its alam (finial) to clock tower.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided technical infrastructure to the Sports Life Karate Club which raises internationally successful athletes in Croatia.
The Sports Life Karate Club, which has been active in the capital city of Zagreb as a member of the Croatian Karate Association since 1997, contributes to nurturing children and young people from diverse societal backgrounds into healthy, self-confident individuals adding value to society. The club also trains athletes who will represent their country globally.
The opportunities provided to athletes at the club mostly develop in direct proportion to families’ financial support. In this regard, TİKA provided more than 100 necessary equipment, from training gear to sports equipment, to the club.
The delivery ceremony of the Capacity Building Project of the Sports Life Karate Club was held with the participation of Minority Deputy, Veljko Kajtazi, who is also a black belt holder, members of the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Zagreb, athletes and their families.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minority Deputy Kajtazi expressed that encouraging children and young people to participate in sports prevents them from developing bad habits and enables them to grow up as healthy individuals. He also stated that doing sports trains individuals to combat all kinds of emotional challenges they may encounter in life.
Kajtazi expressed his gratitude to TİKA for their multifaceted projects and activities prioritizing vulnerable communities in Croatia.
In cooperation with Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Foundation of Yeryüzü Doktorları, a volunteer medical team of Turkish doctors has performed 80 examinations and 34 surgeries under the branches of internal medicine-pediatrics and pediatric surgery in Afghanistan.
Within the scope of the healthcare project carried out in cooperation with TİKA and the Foundation of Yeryüzü Doktorları, aid was provided to patients who otherwise could not have received treatment given the current circumstances, and experience was shared with local healthcare professionals.
Within the program held between 17 – 26 April, 2024, a total of 80 examinations and 34 surgeries were performed at the Atatürk National Children’s Hospital in Kabul. Medical devices and materials to be used in surgeries and examinations of patients were also provided and delivered to the hospital.
Speaking about the program, the Turkish doctors stated that they had overcome a challenging period, yet they felt content to have been able to provide healthcare services to patients.
The “Introduction to Disaster and Emergency Response” (ADG+) training program, carried out in cooperation with Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Ministry of Health of Tanzania, was successfully completed.
The training program, designed for 33 healthcare professionals working at hospitals in Dar es Salaam, was carried out by 5 Turkish emergency medicine specialists.
Dr. Elias Kwesi, on behalf of the Ministry of Health of Tanzania; TİKA’s Coordinator in Dar es Salaam, Filiz Şahinci; Prof. Emmanuel Balandya; Dr. Peter Wangwe and Dr. Said Kilindimo from MUHAS (The Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences) attended the opening ceremony of the training program.
The Head of the Emergency Department at Muhimbili National Hospital, Dr. Juma Mfimanga and many other doctors also attended the program.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the program, Dr. Kwesi stated that accidents caused by recent floods and rains are distressing, and he underlined the importance of Türkiye’s support in enhancing the capacity of disaster and emergency.
He also thanked to TİKA and the Ministry of Health of Türkiye.
The Vice Rector Prof. Balandya expressed that the program has significant benefits in terms of peer-to-peer training among healthcare professionals and providing necessary equipment to Tanzania’s only university working in the field of emergency medicine.
During her speech, TİKA’s Coordinator in Dar es Salaam, Şahinci noted the importance of 300 projects and activities carried out in various fields in Tanzania, and she also underlined the significance of the first and only independent pediatric emergency department established at Muhimbili National Hospital with TİKA’s support.
Lastly, it was stated that TİKA has provided the “Introduction to Disaster and Emergency Response” training to 800 healthcare professionals worldwide.
Published with the support of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the book covers the two years Emir Abdelkader, Algeria’s national hero and founding leader who is known for his fight against French colonialism, spent in Bursa following his exile in France. It was introduced to the public through a ceremony.
Türkiye’s Ambassador to Algeria, Muhammet Mücahit Küçükyılmaz; TİKA’s Coordinator in Algeria, Gökçen Kalkan; the President of the Supreme Islamic Council of Algeria, Abu Abdullah Ghulamallah and many Algerian academicians and researchers attended the presentation program held at the Supreme Islamic Council of Algeria in the capital, Algiers.
Written in French under the title “L’Emir Abdelkader À Bursa” by Algerian researcher Mustafa Hayyati, the book was translated into Turkish and Arabic, and published under the title “Emir Abdelkader in Bursa” by TİKA.
Speaking at the program, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Algeria Küçükyılmaz noted that Emir Abdelkader is a prominent military and political figure for both the Algerian and Turkish people. He also underlined that Emir Abdelkader is one of the most significant symbols of the anti-colonial resistance in the Islamic world.
Küçükyılmaz stated that Emir Abdelkader was a captive in France, but a guest in Bursa, and he was a common hero for the Turkish and Algerian people who have a joint history. He also expressed his gratitude to Hayyati, the writer of the book and to TİKA officials who translated the book into Turkish and Arabic, and later published it.
The book had also been presented as a gift to the President of Algeria, Abdülmecid Tebbun, by the President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who had visited the country on November 21, 2023.
Who is Emir Abdelkader al-Jaza’iri?
Being a writer, poet, philosopher, politician and fighter against French colonialism, Emir Abdelkader al-Jaza’iri is considered as the founding leader of Algeria.
Abdelkader al-Jaza’iri was imprisoned in France for 5 years, starting from 1847. Following his exile, Emir Abdelkader resided in Bursa for a couple of years, and later in Damascus until his death at the age of 76, in 1883.
After Algeria became independent, the body of Emir Abdelkader was transferred to the capital of his country in 1965.
