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

Kimse Yok Mu deputy chair: “We are probably the sole Turkish NGO with a chapter in Palestine”

Kimse Yok Mu deputy chair and director for Ankara chapter Ibrahim Cicek noted the foundation has spent nearly 3.5 million TL on its Palestine donations over the past year. “We are probably the sole Turkish NGO with a chapter in Palestine.”

A Turkish couple spent their wedding day feeding 4,000 Syrian refugees

Hatice Avci, a spokesperson for aid organisation Kimse Yok Mu, told i100.co.uk that last Thursday the newlyweds donated the savings their families had put together for a party to share their wedding celebrations with the refugees living in and around the town of Kilis.

Albanian lawmakers reject Erdoğan’s call to close Turkish schools

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s call for the closure of Turkish schools in Albania unleashed a swirl of debate in the Albanian political and media landscape, leading to intensified pressure on the government to clarify its position and Education Minister Lindita Nikolla saying that the government has already shut down a number of schools regarded as unfit according to criteria set in a recent education reform.

In Blow to Erdogan, Turkish Court Halts Closing of Schools Tied to His Rival

In a blow to the government, Turkey’s highest court has overturned a law that would have closed thousands of preparatory schools linked to an influential Muslim cleric and rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Belgian minister presents Turkish schools as example of high quality education

Joëlle Milquet, the minister of lower education for the French government, attended the opening ceremony of the Liege branch of the “Écoles Des Étoiles” (Schools of the Stars), which were founded by Turkish entrepreneurs in Belgium 10 years ago.

African firms signal increased trade at TUSKON meeting

A total of 127 companies from 11 different countries in East Africa are participating in the Gaziantep summit, which started on Feb. 9 and will run until Feb. 12. The Turkish and African businesspeople held roughly 5,000 bilateral business meetings. TUSKON has intensified efforts to help more Turkish firms branch out into promising African markets over the past five years.

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

Turkish officers speak: Erdogan may have staged coup

Turkish PM Erdoğan’s way worries and puzzles

Erdogan may keep winning, but it wont’ do Turkey any good

Ugandan opinion leader refutes news report which defames Hizmet Movement

KYM Calls for Papers-International Conference on “Social Media for Good”

Legal action against Gülen in the US: A golden opportunity for Gülen

Turkish gov’t profiling went on until 2013, report claims

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News