Somalia’s brightest compete for education in Turkey


Date posted: October 9, 2011

Youth in the Somali capital of Mogadishu formed long lines in front of schools this week as they competed for a slot in a rapidly expanding student exchange program sponsored by the Turkish relief organization Kimse Yok Mu. The organization is planning to provide scholarships for 350 new students from the famine-stricken nation.

Bilal Çelik, Somalia representative for Kimse Yok Mu, explained in an interview with the Anatolia news agency that word of the program’s expansion has garnered an overwhelming response in the capital, with a total of 10,000 students attending exams over the 10-day testing period. Faced with such unprecedented numbers, the representative says the organization is considering as many factors as possible during the selection process. “We are giving priority to children living in tents and orphans,” he said.

Çelik notes that students are hopeful of gaining an education abroad, saying, “After seeing a good education in Turkey, these youths’ biggest goal is to return to their country and help their people as doctors, engineers or as experts in other fields.” The program aims to place the 350 new students in Turkish universities and prep schools within the next month.

The student exchange program is just one part of a massive aid campaign undertaken by Turkey in response to East Africa’s worst drought in 60 years. Turkey’s relief efforts so far have included donating TL 500 million in aid to Somalia and distributing food to 12 million people in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti. The UN’s refugee agency recently declared that the east African drought is currently the “worst humanitarian disaster” in the world, and has urged other international actors to pledge additional assistance.

In addition to the 350 students which it plans to support in the coming months, Kimse Yok Mu presently provides education for 400 high school and 100 university students from Somalia.

Source: Today's Zaman , 25 September 2011

Tags: | | | |


Related News

11 Gülen sympathizers held hostage at Saudi hotel deported to Turkey

Eleven Turkish nationals who were reportedly detained in Saudi Arabia on March 15 have been kept in a hotel in Madinah for weeks, waiting to be deported to Turkey, according to a letter sent to Turkeypurge.com.

Kimse Yok Mu provides eid meat for needy Thais

Teachers of the Turkish schools in Thailand handed the eid meat packages provided by Kimse Yok Mu Foundation and Marmara Solidarity Foundation. Joined by the volunteers from Turkey and other European countries, they worked day and night over the eid.

Uganda president praises Turkish schools’ success, calls for deeper cooperation

Attending opening ceremony of the sixth Turkish school founded by a group of volunteers to cement ties between two countries, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni expressed his joy over the attempt of Turkey’s elite entrepreneurs who played key roles in establishment of a wide network of schools across the African continent in order to boost inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue.

Turkey’s coup attempt & a more intimate view of the Hizmet Movement

Working towards this vision of the world, the Gulen Movement focus primarily in three areas: creating high achieving educational institutions from elementary schools to universities; establishing interfaith dialogue organizations where leaders from different religions as well as public official come together to find and share common grounds at a local and international level; and providing emergency relief in disaster areas around the world.

Turkish School Awarded ‘Ukraine’s Best School’

Simferepol International School opened by Turkish entrepreneurs in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in Ukraine has been listed the top school in the list of the country’s best 100 schools. The school, which opened in 2003, will now appear in a catalogue promoting Ukraine’s best 380 schools. A total of 1,881 schools took part in the competition held in nine branches across the country.

African Professor lauds ‘Kimse Yok Mu’ as model relief organization

University of South Africa Professor Yousuf Dadoo has congratulated Kimse Yok Mu, one of the largest charity organizations in Turkey, for making its work a model for all charitable groups. He said that during a recent visit to Turkey he had been privileged to spend some time with members of Kimse Yok Mu, a relief organization connected to the faith-based Hizmet movement.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

Cyber attacks on news websites threaten freedom of press, expression

What befell Niyazi-i Misri in the past is happening to Fethullah Gülen now

Media’s test with politics: this is utterly disgraceful

‘Ankara no longer producing laws compatible with EU norms’

India must understand Erdogan’s ideological motives for seeking extradition of Gülenists

Anti-police operation is gov’t attempt to take revenge for graft probe

Would Gülen want to return to Turkey?

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News