Malian Medical Students: Ramadan feels different this year


Date posted: July 27, 2013

We were at an iftar dinner at the cafeteria of a medical school in Mali’s capital city, Bamako. A total of 600 male and female students from villages are staying at the school dormitory. The number of the well-off among them is pretty low. The iftar event marking Ramadan let everyone cheer up.

Medical students coming from across the country to study medicine were hosted at the iftar dinner co-organized by Kimse Yok Mu Foundation and Mali Yardim Zamani (Time to Help) Foundation.

Situated in the western Africa, Mali is one of the countries of the Dark Continent with the poorest population. %90 of the 13 million population has survived as Muslim, despite the country’s past under French colony. The population is dominantly engaged in agriculture. Western countries are operating the country’s natural resources such as gold and uranium. Mali, known as one of the most prosperous countries of the world in the past, is looking for the reason-why it’s lagging behind the rest of Africa with its poor development level- in education. The Malian people with 68% rural population now wish their children to beat their ill-fated situation. Number of the students from villages, therefore, is continuously increasing.

We were at the kitchen shortly before breaking time. Three Malian women and two Mali Yardim Zamani foundation volunteers were excitedly rushing to set the dinner on time at the kitchen of the school dormitory. The two young Malians helping there grabbed our attention. Adem Cerrah is one of the 6 thousand students at the medical school. What is special about him is that he is the head of student council at the same time. He is currently a senior student. We asked him why he’s there. “I’ve come to serve my friends” Adem said adding being a council head was not an excuse not to contribute there. Adem believes this year’s Ramadan is going a lot better than before. Highlighting the joint iftar dinners by KYM and the Malian foundation throughout the month, “We are so grateful to Turks. Our country is currently going through a troubled time. We are financially in a poor situation. They’ve come to rescue on such a timing. It’s an honor for me to help them in this blessed month.” Adem said.

The parents of Adem, who managed to get admission to the school coming all the way from his village, are financially poor. So he is trying to live on the $100-scholarship from the state. Financial strains made him cut down suhoor (pre-dawn meal in Ramadan) as well. He said he had a piece of bread and some coffee for his suhoor the other night. But he doesn’t mind it. “Barakallah! Alhamdulillah!” came out of his lips.

He sends half the $100 scholarship to his family

Masaudu Paumeda is coming from a village of Sikasso city to study in the capital city. He is a junior law student. Putting on his KYM volunteer t-shirt, he volunteers in iftar dinners every night. He immediately signed up when he heard about the iftars. “This Ramadan is going quite different. I feel so happy and peaceful. What else can I wish for! ” Masaudu said. He somehow manages to cut down and sends half his $100 scholarship to his poor family in the village.

When it was time to break the fast, first, a cup of tea and a date for each were served everyone at the tables. And next were beef with beans, some bread and a small banana. As the dinner went on, a glitter was infusing into the looks in the eyes and joy into the words.

Source: HizmetMovement.Com , July 27, 2013


Related News

Kimse Yok Mu awarded in Davos

Kimse Yok Mu’s international media coordinator Hatice Avci got the first place with her photograph on the foundation’s ASYA team, which responded to disasters in Pakistan, Tajikistan, Japan, Haiti, Indonesia and the Philippines. Avci received her award from Walter Ammann, the president of Global Risk Forum, organizing institution of the IDRC 2014.

President Museveni supports Turkey’s reaching out to Africa

29 April 2012 / SİNEM CENGİZ, ANKARA Uganda President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has praised Turkey’s flourishing African policy and its recently keen interest in African countries, pointing out its positive implications on developing relations between Turkey and the continent. “Turkey was a great power during the Ottoman Empire, which declined after World War I. Although […]

Would you buy me a pair of eyes on Valentine’s Day?

Kimse Yok Mu has launched four different donation campaigns along with alternative featured gift options for those looking for a meaningful gift on Valentine’s Day. According to Kimse Yok Mu press release, the charity foundation, which has a bright record of life-saving campaigns, expanded its scope including couples admirably wishing to give a unique and […]

Government oppression of confederation hurts Turkish exports to Africa

As a part of a prolonged campaign of intimidation against opposition figures and institutions, the government has been engaging in oppression of the TUSKON — which had had a strong presence in African countries — and contributing to the deterioration of already weakened Africa-bound Turkish exports.

Erdogan pushes further to replace Gülen schools in Africa to spread his ideology

A Turkish state-run educational foundation has signed memorandums of understanding with 26 countries in Africa to take control of schools belonging to people from the faith-based Gülen movement. The Maarif Foundation is claimed to have been established to spread President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Islamist ideology abroad.

Zambia seeks flow of Turkish investments at TUSKON event

ERGIN HAVA/MAHIR ZEYNALOV The southern African country of Zambia is expecting to attract a noticeable amount of Turkish investment following a business forum organized by the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) in İstanbul on Wednesday. Speaking at the opening of the Turkey-Zambia Trade and Investment Forum, Zambian President Rupiah Bwezani Banda invited Turkish […]

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

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

In Case You Missed It

The Commissioner for Political Affairs opened the 14th International Festival of Language and Culture

Report claims government categorized schools linked to Hizmet

Gulen: Oppression will end as politicians will leave office one day but this movement will continue to exist

Turkey’s Unethical Interference in American (Muslim) Civic Society is Dangerous

Tunisia was able to make constitution because of concessions of all parties

Police wait at hospital to detain cancer patient

Turkey, The great purge – Four lives upturned by Erdogan’s ‘cleansing.’ Episode 2 – Mehmet

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News