Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have signed a memorandum of understanding to implement joint projects and training initiatives aimed at improving maternal and child health in Mexico.
The signing ceremony took place at UNFPA’s headquarters in Mexico City with the participation of representatives from the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Turkish Embassy in Mexico, TİKA, and the United Nations. In his remarks, Murat Salim Esenli, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Mexico, expressed his satisfaction with TİKA’s projects, which contribute to strengthening relations between Türkiye and Mexico.
Mario Mendoza, Director General for International Cooperation at the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted that TİKA has become one of Mexico’s key development partners through its projects across various sectors.
Alanna Armitage, Director of UNFPA Mexico, stated that the partnership with TİKA would enhance the agility and responsiveness of both organizations. She emphasized that the combined experience of the two institutions would significantly contribute to Mexico’s maternal and child health strategies.
Memorandum of Understanding signed
At the conclusion of the ceremony, UNFPA Director Alanna Armitage and TİKA Mexico City Program Coordination Office Coordinator, Fatih Abdi Çetin, signed the memorandum of understanding.
Under this agreement, joint efforts will be made in areas such as maternal and child health, improving childbirth practices, and enhancing midwifery education. The first phase of cooperation will include the “Strengthening Professional Midwifery Education Project”, which aims to improve the quality of midwifery education in Mexico, formalize relevant processes, and reduce infant mortality rates.
As part of the project, medical textbooks and supplies will be provided to students enrolled in midwifery programs at Tulancingo Technical University in the state of Hidalgo, Acapulco Technological University in the state of Guerrero, and two maternity hospitals.
Supported by TİKA, this collaboration will help promote quality maternal and newborn care in Mexico, reduce perinatal morbidity and mortality, ensure equitable access to healthcare in vulnerable communities, and enhance the overall capacity of the healthcare system.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) is continuing its “Climate-Smart Agriculture and Leadership Training” project in Bangladesh, one of the countries most affected by the climate crisis, with the goal of empowering women in rural areas both socially and economically.
Implemented in the Koyra upazila of the Khulna District, the project equips women living in areas rendered unsuitable for traditional farming due to rising sea levels, salinization, cyclones, and floods with climate-resilient agricultural techniques and leadership skills.
Twenty women who completed the second round of training received their certificates during a ceremony. Through modules on “bag gardening” and “vertical gardening”, participants learned how to grow productive yields in limited spaces, helping to ensure household food security and generate income.
Having also completed the leadership module, these women are now preparing to become catalysts for social transformation in their communities.
Certificate ceremony held
At the ceremony, attended by TİKA’s Coordinator in Bangladesh, Muhammed Ali Armağan, it was emphasized that TİKA continues to develop sustainable solutions to Bangladesh’s climate and agricultural challenges. Armağan noted that empowering women is essential not only for individual progress but also for broader social development.
Local officials, representatives of the project’s partner Amal Foundation, and project staff were also present at the event.
Supporting family incomes
The women who benefited from the training expressed their gratitude to TİKA, stating that the agricultural techniques they learned had a direct impact on their household incomes. Following the ceremony, participants and guests visited the gardens created by the women and observed the practical applications of their training on-site.
As part of the project’s community engagement component, five group meetings were held for the second cohort. Women from the first cohort also participated, sharing their experiences and mentoring new participants.
TİKA aims to reach a total of 80 women by the end of the year through this initiative. The project seeks to help Bangladeshi women build resilience to climate change and take on more active roles in social and economic life.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided modern medical devices and equipment to the newly established Family Health Center in the village of Kruševo, located in the Dragash Municipality in southern Kosovo.
The opening ceremony at the health center was attended by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Pristina, Sabri Tunç Angılı; Türkiye’s Consul General in Prizren, Celal Doğan; TİKA’s Coordinator in Kosovo, Fulya Aslan; Mayor of Dragash, Behçet Celadini; Head of the Turkish Delegation in Kosovo, Infantry Colonel Harun Elitaş; members of parliament; representatives of public institutions; and numerous local residents.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Angılı expressed his pleasure at visiting Dragash and highlighted the importance of peaceful coexistence among the region’s Albanian, Gorani, Bosniak, and Turkish communities. He stated, “When we support Dragash, we do not see it as aid, but as a historical responsibility. Your ancestors stood with us in the defense of the homeland at Çanakkale, and this is a debt of gratitude we will never forget.”
TİKA’s Coordinator in Kosovo, Aslan, also underscored the special value of health projects in geographically hard-to-reach areas, saying, “Thanks to this support, residents of Kruševo will have access to local healthcare services, diagnosis, and treatment processes will be streamlined, and working conditions for healthcare staff will be improved.”
Mayor Celadini expressed his gratitude to TİKA and Türkiye, emphasizing the vital importance of their contributions to the local community.
Following the speeches, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to officially inaugurate the center, and guests toured the facility to inspect the new equipment.
Through this initiative, TİKA has made a lasting contribution to the region’s healthcare infrastructure by equipping the Kruševo Family Health Center with modern items such as electric hospital beds, medicine cabinets, medical carts, hematology analyzers, sterilizers, and IV stands.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has provided equipment to the Pešterska Care Center for People with Intellectual Disabilities in the city of Tutin, Serbia.
Through this initiative, TİKA aims not only to improve the physical conditions of the center but also to contribute to the social integration of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
As part of the “Equipment Project for the Tutin Care Home for People with Intellectual Disabilities”, various pieces of equipment were delivered to enhance the facility’s kitchen and care areas.
A site visit was held as part of the project, attended by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Belgrade, İlhan Saygılı; the Turkish Consul General in Novi Pazar, Osman Peşmen; and local officials.
About the Pešterska Care Home
Operating under the Serbian Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans, and Social Affairs, the Pešterska Care Home provides care for approximately 200 adults between the ages of 21 and 76 with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities.
With TİKA’s support, the project aims to improve the living conditions of residents, enhance their participation in social life, and strengthen the center’s overall service capacity.
As part of the July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day commemorations, 253 saplings were planted in memory of the 253 citizens martyred during the 2016 coup attempt, in a ceremony held at Fatima Jinnah (F-9) Park in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
The event, organized under the leadership of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), was attended by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Islamabad, İrfan Neziroğlu; TİKA’s Coordinator in Pakistan, Saliha Tuna; Pakistan’s Federal Minister of Law and Justice, Naeem Akbar Raja; Pakistani government officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations, staff from Turkish institutions in Islamabad, and many Turkish citizens.
Ambassador Neziroğlu shared his reflections on the night of July 15, based on his experience as Secretary General of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, emphasizing that the coup attempt was thwarted by the will of the people. He expressed his gratitude for Pakistan’s sincere support for Türkiye and paid tribute to the martyrs with reverence.
In her remarks, TİKA’s Coordinator in Pakistan, Tuna, stated that the event was organized to highlight Türkiye’s unwavering commitment to democracy and national unity and to honor the memory of the martyrs. She noted that the occasion had further strengthened the deep-rooted friendship between Türkiye and Pakistan.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), in cooperation with the Municipality of Al-Bireh in Palestine, inaugurated the “July 15 Martyrs Park” in the city of Al-Bireh.
Located in the heart of the Ramallah-Al Bireh Governorate, where children make up 40% of the population, the city had long lacked adequate parks and recreational spaces. The park, built with the support of TİKA, not only offers a much-needed public space but also serves to commemorate the martyrs who lost their lives during the treacherous coup attempt on July 15, 2016.
As part of the project, the area was landscaped and enclosed with perimeter walls. It was equipped with children’s play structures, educational play areas, bicycle paths, family seating zones, and expansive green spaces.
The opening ceremony was attended by İsmail Çobanoğlu, Ambassador and Consul General of the Republic of Türkiye in Jerusalem; Orhan Aydın, TİKA’s Coordinator in Palestine; Koray Berksoy, Commercial Attaché in Jerusalem; Abdulkadir Steih, Representative of the Yunus Emre Institute in Ramallah; along with Palestinian and Turkish officials and local residents.
The project aims to support the social, cognitive, and physical development of children, while also contributing to the mental well-being of Palestinian children living under occupation and restrictions.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) established the “Martyr Ömer Halisdemir Turkish Language Class” at an orphanage in Somalia that houses the children of martyred police officers.
TİKA launched this meaningful educational project in honor of the children of Somalia’s fallen police officers. Named after July 15 Martyr Ömer Halisdemir, the Turkish language class was inaugurated during a ceremony at an orphanage in the capital, Mogadishu.
The opening was held as part of the July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day commemoration program, organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Mogadishu.
The ceremony was attended by Somali Minister of Internal Security, Abdullahi Sheikh Ismael (Fartaag); Minister of Defense, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi; Army Commander Brigadier General Sahal Abdullahi Omar; Somali Police Force Commander, Major General Asad Osman Abdullahi; and Türkiye’s Ambassador to Mogadishu, Alper Aktaş. Also in attendance were the ambassadors of Qatar, Sudan, and Kenya, along with the Permanent Representative of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to Somalia, Ambassador Mohamed Bamba.
The “Martyr Ömer Halisdemir Turkish Language Class” aims to honor the national spirit of July 15, preserve the memory of a heroic martyr through education, and provide Somali students with the opportunity to learn Turkish. Turkish language instruction in the classroom will be provided by Yunus Emre Institute, enabling students to become more familiar with the Turkish language and culture and gain an advantage when pursuing educational opportunities in Türkiye.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has launched an important project to support visually impaired individuals in the Palestinian city of Jerusalem.
With TİKA’s assistance, technical equipment and educational materials were provided to the Nour Al-Ain Association for the Visually Impaired and Low Vision, helping to improve the quality of life for those with visual impairments.
Established in 2005, the Nour Al-Ain Association has been serving approximately 500 visually impaired individuals in Jerusalem, offering a wide range of services from education and personal development to vocational training and social integration. Under the scope of the project supported by TİKA, the association received white canes, audio and video magnifiers, computers and printers, a music mixer and various office equipment.
The initiative aims to empower visually impaired individuals by helping them continue their education, engage more actively in social life and combat societal prejudice. It also encourages greater independence and self-confidence among participants.
Year-round vocational training and social activities
The Nour Al-Ain Association offers consistent support to the visually impaired through regular courses in computer literacy, planning and mobility, as well as social events and summer camps. Strengthened by TİKA’s contributions, these efforts positively impact not only the individuals themselves but also their families.
TİKA continues to provide sustainable support for development in the region through projects that promote access to education, employment and social participation for people with disabilities across Palestine.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has provided equipment for carpentry and plumbing workshops at the National Skills Development and Vocational Training Institute in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
Originally established in 1984, the institute was forced to suspend its activities in 2009 due to terrorist incidents in the country. It resumed operations in 2022 under the Somali Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. However, over the years, the institution had suffered a significant decline in capacity and was only able to offer limited vocational training due to insufficient infrastructure and a lack of technical equipment.
Thanks to the carpentry and plumbing workshop equipment supplied by TİKA, the institute’s practical training capacity has been substantially improved. The project aims not only to strengthen vocational training infrastructure but also to help develop a skilled workforce, thereby creating new employment opportunities.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has provided a specially equipped vehicle to facilitate the transportation of individuals with disabilities to the Rehabilitation Center for People with Disabilities in the city of Aktau, located in western Kazakhstan.
Rehabilitation Center for People with Disabilities, which was established in 2019 and implemented a “Social Adaptation Training Center” last year with the support of TİKA, continues to contribute to the social adaptation and rehabilitation of individuals with spinal and spinal cord injuries and wheelchair users. The center focuses on developing personal and self-care skills, encouraging active participation in daily life and supporting the social integration of individuals with disabilities.
With the support of TİKA, a wheelchair-accessible vehicle equipped with a ramp system and special features has been provided to enhance the mobility of individuals with disabilities. These individuals often face significant challenges in accessing healthcare, education and social activities due to inadequate transportation and social infrastructure in the region.
The vehicle handover ceremony was attended by Sabri Alptekin, Consul General of the Republic of Türkiye in Aktau; Nurdaulet Kılıbay, Governor of the Mangystau Region; Abilkair Baypakov, Mayor of Aktau; and Fuat Erdoğmuş, TİKA’s Coordinator in Astana. In his remarks, Consul General Alptekin emphasized the strong ties between Türkiye and Kazakhstan, stating “Projects that touch people’s lives and make daily living easier hold special meaning for us. Thanks to this vehicle, people with disabilities in Aktau will now have better access to social life, education and healthcare services.”
TİKA’s Coordinator in Astana Erdoğmuş noted that the cooperation, which began last year with support for the Social Adaptation Training Center, has been further strengthened through this vehicle initiative. He stated that the goal is to support individuals with disabilities not only in rehabilitation but also in independent living, social participation and combating discrimination.
The specially equipped vehicle provided through the project will ensure safe and accessible transportation for individuals with disabilities from the center to various healthcare facilities, educational institutions and social events. TİKA plans to continue its efforts to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities in Kazakhstan in the coming period.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), in collaboration with the Tajikistan Robotics League, organized a robotics education camp in Tajikistan under the slogan “Robotics in Every School”, aiming to promote robotics education across the country’s school system.
As part of the project, 20 teachers and 40 students aged 11 to 16 from 20 middle schools across various regions of Tajikistan participated in a five-day training camp focused on robotics and coding. During the camp, both students and teachers received hands-on training in robotics and computer programming. Participants learned fundamental robotics concepts, practiced programming robots and had the opportunity to design and build their own robotic creations. At the end of the training, robot kits were awarded to the top three teams in an inter-team competition.
To ensure the sustainability of the program, each participating school received robotics kits and laptops for programming, enabling them to continue robotics activities and introduce more students to the field.
Certificate ceremony held
Following a week of intensive training, a certificate ceremony was held with the participation of Umut Acar, Türkiye’s Ambassador to to Tajikistan; Hakim Ismoilzod, First Deputy Director of the Tajikistan Innovation and Digital Technologies Agency; İbrahim Ethem Ünal, TİKA’s Coordinator in Dushanbe; as well as representatives from the Ministry of Education and Science and other institutions.
Ambassador Acar remarked, “Robotics is a multidisciplinary field that brings together diverse areas such as mechanical and computer engineering. Among the children here receiving training in robotics, there are surely future engineers and programmers.”
In his remarks, Ismoilzod expressed his appreciation for the initiative stating, “These camps help shape students into the technology leaders of tomorrow while enhancing their creativity, problem-solving abilities and teamwork skills.”
This national-level robotics education camp, held for the first time with participants from across Tajikistan, aims to inspire young people and increase interest in innovative technologies, particularly robotics.
The Emergency Medicine Capacity Building Program (ATKAP), launched in 2021 by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in cooperation with the Ministries of Health of the Republic of Turkey and the Republic of The Gambia, continues to yield lasting results.
The Introduction to Emergency Response Training (ADG+), which started as part of the project, is now delivered by Gambian doctors thanks to the “training of trainers” model. TİKA continues to support the program by providing modern training equipment.
In the second phase of the 2025 program, a total of 50 healthcare providers participated in the training held at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, which included extensive theoretical and practical modules on emergency response, trauma management, disaster planning, and teamwork during crises.
With ATKAP, TİKA continues to strengthen local health capacity through similar trainings held in various countries.
