The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) distributed food hampers to hundreds of families in South Africa to help residents who are not working due to the restrictions imposed as a result of Covid-19.
The coordinator of the agency, Mehmet Akif Sekerci, stated, ‘In this challenging time when the entire globe is affected by the [Covid-19] pandemic, whilst mindful of the lockdown regulations, we thought we should go from house to house to distribute the aid to vulnerable people’.
He said that TIKA partnered with local NGOs in Johannesburg who know vulnerable families living in communities. He added that the food distribution would help Muslims who were fasting during the holy month of Ramadan as well as needy non-Muslim families residing in Mayfair, about three kilometres from the Johannesburg Central Business District.
The Councillor of Johannesburg , Alex Christians, thanked the Turkish government for their aid and generosity during the Covid-19 pandemic and added that they were distributing the food parcels to the elderly homes in their area.
The items distributed include maize, flour, sugar, cooking oil and peanut butter, among others.
TIKA has been operating in South Africa for more than two years. They have completed several projects, including refurbishing hospitals, mosques, and cultural centres. In April, they provided a hospital in Cape Town with more than 10,000 N95 face masks to help health workers curb the spread of the virus.
Source: Yenisafak
Photo source: distopiandreamgirl
