TİKA Establishes Pasta Production Facility in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has established a pasta production facility in Bosnia and Herzegovina in cooperation with the humanitarian organization “Merhamet” Muslim Aid Society.

This project aims to enhance the sustainability of the ‘Merhamet’ Muslim Charity Association’s operations, which currently prepares an average of 6,000 hot meals daily for its beneficiaries across Bosnia and Herzegovina through its network of soup kitchens.

The new facility builds on TİKA’s previous support to Merhamet’s Zavidovici complex, where a greenhouse established by TİKA in earlier years already enables the production of an average of 30 tons of vegetables annually. This new project has now created the infrastructure for 10 tons of pasta production per year, prioritizing the country’s most disadvantaged segments. All products cultivated and processed at the farm are used to meet the needs of the soup kitchens.

Beyond increasing food supply, the production facility will operate actively year-round, both in summer and winter, and has also provided employment opportunities for approximately 10 women in need within the region.

The inauguration ceremony of the project was attended by Turkish Ambassador to Sarajevo Emin Akseki, Zenica-Doboj Canton Minister of Economy Samir Šibonjić, Mayor of Zavidovići Erna Merdić Smailhodžić, President of Merhamet Kenan Vrbanjac, TİKA Sarajevo Coordinator Erdinç Işık, and other officials.

In his address, Ambassador Akseki reiterated the Republic of Türkiye’s commitment to supporting high-impact, human-centered projects across Bosnia and Herzegovina. He emphasized that the TİKA-backed project is not merely about supporting production, but rather a significant initiative that strengthens social solidarity and offers a sustainable model in this field. Akseki underscored that soup kitchens in societies still bearing the scars of war, like Bosnia and Herzegovina, are not just places for meals, but symbols of compassion, sharing, and social cohesion. He extended his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the project.

About “Merhamet” Muslim Charity Association

The ‘Merhamet’ Muslim Charity Association is a social welfare organization with 110 years of history. It actively works to alleviate the social and economic needs of citizens requiring assistance through various forms of aid, including soup kitchens, support for the elderly and disabled, and scholarships for students from socially disadvantaged families.