The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), in collaboration with the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), has completed a significant technical equipment support project for the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD).
As part of the project, coffee-making equipment and digital office equipment—such as computers and video conferencing systems—were delivered to improve the vocational skills of individuals with disabilities, support their participation in socioeconomic life through barista training, and ensure the effective operation of the APCD headquarters, which develops projects to provide vocational training for people with disabilities in Thailand and the wider region.
Thanks to TİKA’s support, individuals with disabilities working at the ’60+ Plus Bakery & Café’—a café and restaurant chains in Bangkok operated under APCD—will have the opportunity to further their vocational training and engage more actively in the workforce.
APCD, a regional center operating under the patronage of the Thai Royal Family and recognized by the United Nations ESCAP, plays a leading role in empowering persons with disabilities and promoting inclusive development in collaboration with more than 30 countries.
The handover ceremony was attended by Turkish Ambassador to Bangkok Julide Kayıhan; TİKA’s Head of the East and South Asia, Pacific, and Latin America Department (DOGAL), Dursun Ali Yaşacan; APCD Executive Director Piroon Laismit; Deputy Director-General of TICA Arunee Hiam; and individuals with disabilities who are undergoing training and working at APCD centers.
This support from TİKA will help APCD strengthen its collaboration with regional networks, encourage the active economic participation of persons with disabilities, and contribute to achieving inclusive development goals.
In August 2025, severe floods struck Pakistan’s northern regions, including Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK). In response, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) launched a project in Muzaffarabad to enhance the capacity of Emergency Service Rescue 1122 under the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).
As part of the initiative, a three-day training program was conducted, equipping Rescue 1122 personnel and volunteers with essential skills such as Basic Life Support, CPR, flood rescue operations, high-angle rescue techniques, and rope systems. Alongside the training, TİKA provided SDMA with 3 motorbike ambulances, 2 rescue motorbikes, 1 inflatable rescue boat, a drone, water rescue kits, and a wide range of first aid and emergency response equipment.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, SDMA AJK Director General Sardar Waheed Khan stated: “The friendship and brotherhood between the people of Türkiye and Kashmir have been proven time and again. This project, which enhances the response capacity of AJK 1122, is yet another renewal of these strong bonds.”
On behalf of TİKA, the Country Coordinator Saliha Tuna emphasized both solidarity with flood-affected families and the long-term impact of the project: “Through this project, we aim not only to strengthen emergency response capacity, but also to support SDMA in training hundreds of volunteers in the coming years, thereby enhancing community resilience. Türkiye will always stand with Pakistan and AJK in times of need.”
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has established five greenhouses in the city of Jenin as part of the “Palestinian Turkmen Agricultural Production Project”, which supports agriculture and employment in Palestine.
A significant portion of the Turkmen population, who settled in Palestine at various points in history and now number nearly 40,000 in the West Bank and Gaza, earn their livelihood through agriculture and animal husbandry. However, the cancellation of work permits in Israel following its attacks on Gaza has left many Turkmen unemployed.
Launched in 2016 with TİKA’s support and carried out in cooperation with the Palestine-Turkmen Friendship Association, the project established five agricultural production greenhouses to strengthen solidarity among Palestinian Turkmen and sustain their livelihoods. The initiative aims to create employment opportunities for Turkmen families in the region while also increasing the association’s income sources.
Association President, Muhammad Turkmen, highlighted the importance of this support from the people of Türkiye during the worsening socio-economic conditions in Palestine, expressing his gratitude to the Republic of Türkiye and TİKA.
With the support of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), hundreds of patients received free oral and dental health services from volunteer Turkish doctors as part of a health program in Uganda.
In cooperation with TİKA and the Friends of Africa Association (TADD), a team of volunteer healthcare professionals and specialist doctors from Türkiye carried out a twelve-day technical visit to Jinja Central Hospital in the city of Jinja.
During the visit, 961 patients were examined; 947 teeth were extracted; 70 root canal treatments were performed; 193 fillings were applied; and 111 dentures were fitted. In addition, advanced surgical procedures, including emergency interventions for jaw and facial injuries, fixation of jaw fractures, and the removal of precancerous lesions, were successfully performed.
Practical training sessions were conducted
As part of the project, a total of 15 surgical procedures were carried out, including the extraction of 15 impacted and fractured teeth. Four local dentists working at Jinja Central Hospital also received hands-on training in surgical interventions, tooth extractions, and emergency prosthetic treatments. To support the sustainability of these services, the medical supplies used during the training were donated to the hospital.
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has launched a relief initiative to support families affected by the devastating floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the hardest-hit province of Pakistan. As part of the program, TİKA will distribute 15,000 hot meals to flood-affected communities.
Today, 2,000 hot meals were delivered — 1,000 in Buner and 1,000 in Swat. This hot meal support will continue for one week, providing vital assistance to affected families.
Through this initiative, TİKA once again demonstrates Türkiye’s solidarity with the brotherly people of Pakistan.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has contributed to scientific progress in animal husbandry by providing laboratory equipment to the Novi Sad Veterinary Scientific Institute, one of Serbia’s leading research institutions.
Established in 1950, the institute is renowned for its scientific and applied research in animal health with a focus on critical areas such as infectious diseases, reproductive health, and the hygiene and quality of animal products.
As part of the TİKA-supported project, a multifunctional measurement device was supplied to analyze the results of immunoenzymatic ELISA tests used in laboratory research.
The initiative aims to improve the quality of scientific studies in Serbia’s livestock sector, one of the country’s key economic drivers, and to develop effective solutions to the challenges the industry faces.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has provided technical equipment to the National Ndossi and Akomgha Center in Libreville, the capital of Gabon, which serves children with special needs.
The handover ceremony, organized by TİKA at the center, was attended by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Libreville, Can İncesu; TİKA’s Coordinator in Yaoundé, Melih Çağatay Artunay; Director of the Ndossi and Akomgha Center, Marielle Nzong; and numerous other guests.
The equipment supplied by TİKA includes specialized educational materials, cognitive development kits, tools to support communication skills, and psychosocial therapy equipment.
This support aims to significantly enhance the center’s capacity for both education and rehabilitation services.
Coordinated by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the Fire Department of the Konya Metropolitan Municipality organized a “Basic Search and Rescue Training in Nature” program from August 4 to 8, 2025, at the Gombori Education Center for Youth and Veterans for National Defense and Security in Georgia’s Kakheti region.
The training, conducted under the Emergency and Disaster Response Training Program (ADAMEP), brought together 30 volunteers and instructors. The opening ceremony was attended by Major General Koba Kobaladze, President of the Georgian Veterans’ Union, along with the TİKA Tbilisi Coordination Office team.
Participants gained essential knowledge and skills for search and rescue operations through a combination of theoretical and practical sessions. The program covered topics such as map, compass, and GPS use, search methods, an introduction to search and rescue equipment, first aid applications (supported by virtual reality technology), stretcher binding and evacuation techniques, rope systems, knot tying, and tripod and pulley setup. Scenario-based field exercises in natural environments reinforced the theoretical lessons.
At the conclusion of the program, certificates were presented to all participants.
The young volunteers described the training as highly valuable, noting that the realistic, scenario-based exercises enhanced their confidence and preparedness for potential disaster situations. They expressed appreciation for the expertise shared by the trainers from Türkiye with many stating their interest in further developing their skills and mentoring future participants.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has established 30 educational greenhouses in the Bombogor district of Mongolia.
Implemented in collaboration with the Bayankhongor Rural Affairs Directorate, the project set up 30 summer educational greenhouses in the Bombogor district of Mongolia’s Bayankhongor province.
Home to a population of 3,300 and reliant on external sources for 90% of its vegetable supply, the district will now benefit from training in agricultural production and greenhouse farming for low-income residents, creating new employment opportunities. In the Agro Park area established within the district, agricultural production training will be provided to 30 families each year, with the first round of courses already underway.
The project aims to improve the local community’s knowledge and skills in vegetable and seedling cultivation, strengthen family farming, and promote greenhouse-based agriculture. In doing so, it seeks to meet the district’s demand for fresh vegetables while supporting local livelihoods.
Under the cooperation protocol signed between Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the energy infrastructure of Masimba District Hospital in Kajiado County, Kenya, has been significantly improved.
With the installation of a solar energy system by TİKA, the hospital can now provide uninterrupted healthcare services around the clock. In the second phase of the project, KOICA will supply the hospital with an ultrasound machine, laboratory analysis equipment, and various other medical devices to enhance its diagnostic and treatment capacity.
The handover ceremony was attended by Kajiado Deputy Governor, Martin Moshiso; TİKA’s Coordinator in Nairobi, Yasemin Cansuz Kurt; KOICA Kenya Deputy Country Director, Jooyoung Baek; and local residents of Masimba.
Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Governor Moshiso highlighted that Masimba District Hospital, located at the intersection of two provinces, now benefits from uninterrupted power thanks to TİKA’s support, an improvement that is especially critical for childbirth and vaccination services. He noted that in Kenya, where electricity is costly and unreliable, the budget savings from the solar energy system will help the hospital operate as a Level 4 healthcare facility.
TİKA’s Coordinator in Nairobi, Cansuz Kurt, emphasized that this project, carried out in partnership with KOICA, reflects TİKA’s commitment to sustainable solutions in the health sector. She added that the strong cooperation between the development agencies of the two friendly countries has ensured the hospital’s ability to deliver uninterrupted services.
KOICA Kenya Deputy Country Director Baek stated that the delivery of medical equipment will be completed by the end of the year. He expressed his satisfaction that although KOICA and TİKA have collaborated many times before, this is the first time they have implemented such a concrete and impactful project together.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has supported the publication of a photomonograph in four languages commemorating the life of Alija Izetbegović, the founding president of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Known in Türkiye as the “Wise King,” Izetbegović’s life has been revisited in a newly released digital edition marking the 100th anniversary of his birth. The photomonograph, titled “Alija Izetbegović 1925–2003,” is available free of charge in Bosnian, Turkish, English, and Arabic thanks to TİKA’s support.
Prepared by the Alija Izetbegović Foundation, established in Sarajevo in 2020, the work seeks to preserve the intellectual and moral legacy of the late leader. Carefully selected photographs, documents, and texts follow Izetbegović’s journey from his childhood to his political struggle, set against the historical backdrop of his time. His ideals and principles are presented to readers both through his own words and through testimonies from those who knew him.
The launch of the photomonograph took place on August 8, 2025, at Sarajevo’s historic Vijećnica Library during a commemorative program.
With TİKA’s support, this digital publication aims to share Alija Izetbegović’s story and values not only with the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina but also with audiences around the world.
To access the digital version: https://www.alijaizetbegovic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Alija-Izetbegovic-monografija-novo-izdanje-TURSKI-FINAL-za-WEB.pdf
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has supported education and the social inclusion of individuals with special needs by establishing the country’s first modern speech therapy room at the Philippines’ only state-run school for the hearing impaired.
The new facility, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, has been inaugurated on the campus of the Philippines School for the Deaf, one of the country’s 117-year-old educational institutions and the sole state-run school for the hearing impaired, which currently serves 650 students.
The speech therapy room is fitted with speech analysis systems, auditory training devices, and visual-auditory support units designed to help students with varying degrees of hearing ability improve their language and communication skills. It also offers advanced tools for special education specialists, enabling the more effective implementation of individualized education plans.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, School Principal Jordan S. Madronio said, “This speech therapy room, established with the generous support of Türkiye, will help our students maximize their auditory potential and communicate more effectively with their peers. This is a vital investment in reducing inequalities in opportunity.”
Therapist Trainer Jennifer Joy M. Mendoza added: “With the technology available in this modern therapy room, we can closely track students’ progress and provide immediate feedback, which greatly supports lasting development.”
Sharing her personal experience, parent Analyn Servantes said: “My son’s communication skills have improved significantly throughout his therapy. He can now interact more easily with his teacher and classmates, which has boosted his self-confidence.”
This TİKA initiative not only enhances access to quality special education in the Philippines but also contributes to the academic achievement, self-confidence, and active participation in social life of individuals with hearing impairments.
