Art exhibition tells story of deficiency


Date posted: February 13, 2014

İSTANBUL

 

Kimse Yok Mu, a charity that works in 103 countries to eradicate poverty, opened an art exhibition titled “Deficient” on Tuesday in İstanbul’s Kuruçeşme neighborhood.

Housed inside the building of APCO Worldwide, an independent communications consultancy firm, the art exhibition consists of 19 photographs taken by volunteers who participated in Kimse Yok Mu initiatives around the world, including in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Somalia and Sudan. The exhibition will be open until Feb. 16.

Savaş Metin, secretary-general of Kimse Yok Mu, spoke to the press about the exhibition, saying: “Modern people say they have a number of things missing — a bigger house, a more luxurious car, more clothes. But for millions of people, the biggest deficiency is drinking water, a school and a hospital. This exhibition was opened in order to bring attention to such deficiencies and try and fill the missing gap together.”

Kimse Yok Mu has built 750 water wells in 15 countries since 2011, providing over 1.5 million people with access to water. It has also established four fully equipped hospitals and schools around the world that total 75,000 square meters. Its mission is to spread kindness by helping people from all races, ages, religions and social classes, and it strives to create social support models while combating inequalities due to illness, unemployment and psychological and physical disadvantages. The charity also focuses on using effective methods to raise awareness, such as campaigning for places afflicted by earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters.

Ülkü Fırat Atlamaz, brand manager at Kimse Yok Mu, told Today’s Zaman that the charity’s exhibition might become a traveling show. The organization has an archive of photos taken by volunteers who participated in Kimse Yok Mu projects. When asked how it selected photos for the exhibition, she explained: “Our volunteers have been taking pictures for the last 12 years. Some of the pictures in the show were taken by photojournalists at the Zaman daily. A team from APCO Worldwide and Kimse Yok Mu united to designate a theme for our exhibition and chose pictures from the archive accordingly.” Atlamaz also added that objects from places where Kimse Yok Mu does its work are on display in addition to the pictures. Pointing to a piece of wooden board, she explained that it is one of the “notebooks” children from a country in Africa would use to take notes on at school.

“Our job is to bridge the gap between those who can help and those who are in need. Artistic activities like this exhibition go a long way toward this goal and help us gain attention for our activities,” Atlamaz said.

Kimse Yok Mu has been active in the arts scene both in Turkey and abroad. Mustafa İlhan, media and advertisement director for the charity, told Today’s Zaman that the NGO recently organized workshops for women in Albania to train them in graphic arts. “Through these means, we [are able to] reach different segments of societies,” İlhan said.

“Deficient” is open to visitors on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Source: Todays Zaman , February 12, 2014


Related News

Council of Europe warns against hate speech by senior state officials in Turkey

The human rights body of the Council of Europe, the Commission against Racism and Intolerance, issued a report on Wednesday about the increasing use of hate speech, even by senior state officials. While President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called the Gülen sympathizers “viruses,” Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım labeled them microbes. The movement is the main target of a massive purge and witch-hunt in Turkey.

Carter Center gives certificate of appreciation to Kimse Yok Mu

AYŞE TOSUN, İSTANBUL The personal foundation of former US President Jimmy Carter has awarded a certificate of appreciation to Turkish aid organization Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) for the association’s worldwide charitable activities. The certificate was presented to Kimse Yok Mu officials in İstanbul by Carter’s consultant, Ryan McDonald, on behalf of the former […]

Pro-gov’t daily claims White House held special session on Gülen

Pro-government Turkish daily Takvim claimed in a Friday report that the White House held a special session on Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who is based in the US, in September 2014.

Turkey After the July Coup Attempt – Alan Makovsky’s testimony before Committee on Foreign Affairs

The vastness and persistence of the purge of the civil service, arrests of journalists, and closure of media outlets—many seemingly having nothing whatsoever to do with the exiled Turkish preacher Fethullah Gülen or his Gülenist movement that the Turkish government blames for the coup attempt.

Students from 70 countries share joy of graduating in İstanbul ceremony

Foreign students who have come to study in Turkey threw their caps into the air in celebration at a graduation ceremony held in Istanbul on Wednesday.

Operation against whom?

A claim made this past weekend by Hüseyin Gülerce, a senior columnist for the Zaman daily, affiliated with the Gülen (Hizmet) movement, increased tensions in Ankara when he suggested that a major operation will be carried out by the government against the Gülen movement, which it believes to be behind the graft investigation.

Latest News

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

Unproven speculations and legitimate questions

3 detained Turkish educators and their families handed over to Turkey by Gabon

İstanbul municipality tears down part of school in midnight operation

Are politics and Hizmet from different walks of life?

Gülen’s speech broadcast live for first time after website banned

Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication Crossing Culture Borders

Coup and Countercoup in Turkey

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News