Category: Turkey

Posted on by

Fresh Meat for 2,500 Meals Distributed in Türkiye 

ISTANBUL, TÜRKIYE June 10, 2025 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed fresh meat that provided 2,500 meals to vulnerable families across Türkiye during the Islamic season of Udhiyah.

Approximately 500 families received fresh meat from locally-sourced, humanely-slaughtered sheep. 

According to Ahmed Sherif, senior manager of international programs at Baitulmaal, most of the beneficiaries included women, the elderly and children. 

“Seeing the relief and smiles on children’s faces reminds us why this work matters,” said Sherif. “It’s a powerful reminder of the human impact behind every donation.”

According to the World Food Programme (WFP), nearly 1 in 5 people in Türkiye are undernourished.

In addition to delivering fresh meat during Udhiyah, Baitulmaal has delivered emergency aid,  Ramadan food packages, and medical support in Türkiye. If you would like to learn more about or contribute to these programs at Baitulmaal, please visit their website at johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Europe, Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.

# # #

Posted on by

Food for 200K Meals Delivered to Impoverished Families in Türkiye

GAZIANTEP, TÜRKIYE, January 15, 2025 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed food packages that provided 222,000 meals to vulnerable families living in Nizip and Kilis in Turkiye

Approximately 850 families each received food packages containing essential food such as grains, beans, sugar, flour and vegetable oil. The beneficiaries included orphan families, pregnant women, the elderly, children and people with disabilities, according to Ahmed Sherif, senior manager of international programs at Baitulmaal.

“We met mothers who hadn’t had enough to feed their children for days, grandparents trying to make ends meet, and people who were just trying to survive,” Sherif said.

According to the World Bank, more than 32 percent of Türkiye’s population has been at risk of poverty in recent years, with border regions such as Gaziantep facing the highest levels of food insecurity.

In addition to providing Ramadan food packages in Türkiye, Baitulmaal has delivered $5.35 million in emergency aid, has also provided fresh meat for Udhiyah, and supported Uyghur refugee students with back-to-school kits. To learn more about or contribute to these efforts, please visit johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Europe, Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.

 # # #

Posted on by

1,700 Families in Türkiye Receive Winter Aid 

GAZIANTEP, TÜRKIYE, January 15, 2025 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed winter relief kits to 9,650 people living in Türkiye and Syrian refugee camps.

Approximately 1700 families in Gaziantep, Nezb and Kiles received winter aid which included heating coal, blankets, mattresses, shelter materials and cushions to help families stay warm during the harsh winter months. 

According to Ahmed Sherif, senior manager of international programs at Baitulmaal, most of the beneficiaries included orphan families, the elderly, children and women.

“In many of these camps, children sleep on bare floors with little to protect them from the cold,” Sherif said. “Providing warmth is not just a necessity — it’s a lifeline.”

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over 1.5 million Syrian refugees currently reside in Türkiye, many of whom live in inadequately insulated shelters or informal settlements that offer limited protection against freezing winter temperatures.

In addition to providing winter relief in Türkiye, Baitulmaal has also delivered $5.35 million in emergency aid, Ramadan food packages, and supported Uyghur refugee students with back-to-school kits. To learn more about or contribute to these efforts, please visit johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Europe, Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.

 # # # 

Posted on by

600 Orphaned Students Receive Back-to-School Kits in Türkiye

GAZIANTEP, TÜRKIYE, September 13, 2024 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed back-to-school kits to 607 orphaned students from Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa and North Syria. 

According to Ahmed Sherif, senior manager of international programs at Baitulmaal, the kits included backpacks, pencils, textbooks, and other school supplies aimed at helping vulnerable children return to school.

“For many of these children, this is the only support they receive to continue their education,” Sherif said. “Seeing their excitement as they open their new backpacks reminds us how even small tools can make a big difference in their lives.”

According to UNICEF and Human Rights Watch, around 40 percent  of Syrian refugee children in Türkiye are still not enrolled in school, often due to poverty or lack of resources.

In addition to providing back-to-school kits in Türkiye, Baitulmaal has also delivered $5.35 million in emergency aid, and Ramadan food packages. To learn more about or contribute to these efforts, please visit their website at johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Europe, Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.

 # # # 

Posted on by

Uyghur Refugees in Turkiye Receive Food Packages for 120K Meals in Ramadan

More photos below

ISTANBUL, TURKIYE May 10, 2024 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed food packages that provided 120,000 meals to Uyghur refugee families living in Turkiye in time for the Ramadan season.

Food packages containing items such as rice, sugar, dates, eggs, flour, and cooking oil helped provide daily Ramadan meals to approximately 400 refugee families.

According to Elora Bashir, program operations manager at Baitulmaal, a majority of the Uyghur refugees living in Turkiye are women, orphans, or disabled people.

“Uyghur refugees rely on the compassion of our donors to ensure they have support so far from home,” Bashir said. “We wanted to ease their worries this Ramadan by providing families with necessary nutrition.”

According to the Uyghur Human Rights Project, Turkiye is home to an estimated 50,000 Uyghur refugees who fled persecution in their home country of Xinjiang, China. Many Uyghurs face uncertainty in inadequate and provisional living conditions, without guaranteed accommodation, employment or food assistance.

 In addition to providing Ramadan food packages, Baitulmaal delivered $5.35 million in emergency aid to Turkiye, provided fresh meat for Uyghur refugees during Udhiyah, and supported Uyghur refugee students with back-to-school kits. To learn more about or contribute to these efforts, visit johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Europe, Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.

# # #

Click Here

⬅️ Click left or right to see additional images ➡️

⬅️ Click left or right to see additional images ➡️

Posted on by

Fresh Meat for 1,800 Meals Distributed to Syrian Refugees in Turkiye 

More photos below

GAZIANTEP, TURKIYE August 2, 2023 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed fresh meat for 1,800 meals to Syrian refugees in Turkiye as part of the Islamic season of Udhiyah.

Approximately 300 families living in Urfa were given fresh meat from locally-sourced and humanely-slaughtered sheep. 

The beneficiaries were orphan refugees who fled Syria, according to Elizabeth Sohail, program development manager at Baitulmaal.

“Every child deserves to feel the blessings and excitement of Eid,” said Sohail. “Our donors made this possible for children who have lost so much.”

According to the United Nations for Refugees, Turkiye currently hosts over 3.6 million Syrian refugees.

In addition to seasonal Islamic giving programs, Baitulmaal coordinates emergency aid efforts, water, hygiene and sanitation projects, orphan support programs and other humanitarian aid to under-served populations regardless of faith or nationality. To learn more or donate to these programs, visit johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices and representatives in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Europe, Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East.

# # #

Click Here

⬅️ Click left or right to see additional images ➡️

⬅️ Click left or right to see additional images ➡️

Posted on by

Food for More Than 100,000 Ramadan Meals Distributed in Turkiye and Northern Syria

More photos below

SANLIURFA, TURKIYE May 22, 2023 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed food packages that provided 104,160 meals to families in Turkiye and northern Syria in time for the Ramadan season.

Food packages containing items such as rice, lentils, beans, pasta, canned goods, dates and cooking oil helped provide daily Ramadan meals to approximately 1,736 individuals. According to Elizabeth Sohail, program development manager at Baitulmaal, the majority of recipients were displaced Syrian orphans and their caregiver families living in refugee camps in Sanliurfa, Turkiye and Tell Abyad, Syria.

“So many families that were impacted by the recent earthquakes in the region were already struggling with hunger and poverty,” Sohail said. “With Ramadan a few weeks after this tragedy, we wanted to ensure that families caring for vulnerable orphans had enough food during this month of compassion.”

Turkiye and northern Syria were hit by multiple deadly earthquakes this past February, leaving thousands dead and millions more displaced. Baitulmaal immediately mobilized an emergency response and continued to help impacted orphan families through this tragedy.

This Ramadan, Baitulmaal delivered food packages for more than 3.6 million meals worldwide. To learn more about or contribute to these efforts, visit johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices and representatives in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.

# # #

Click Here

⬅️ Click left or right to see additional images ➡️

⬅️ Click left or right to see additional images ➡️

Posted on by

Uyghur Refugees in Turkiye Receive Food Packages for 89,000 Meals in Ramadan

More photos below

ISTANBUL, TURKIYE May 5, 2023 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed food packages that provided 89,100 meals to Uyghur refugee families living in Turkiye in time for the Ramadan season.

The charity delivered food packages to approximately 270 families of widows, orphans and the elderly. The packages included items such as rice, flour, honey, dates, eggs and cooking oil.

Turkiye is home to an estimated 50,000 Uyghur refugees who fled persecution in their home country of Xinjiang, China. The need for humanitarian aid in Turkiye rose exponentially after the recent earthquakes, leaving even more people displaced and hungry.

Baitulmaal delivered more than 3.6 million meals to those in need around the world this Ramadan. The charity has also been on the ground in Turkiye helping with emergency relief efforts and providing food assistance to Uyghur families in need. The charity also provided back-to-school support for Uyghur refugee children in the region. To learn more about or contribute to these efforts, visit johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices and representatives in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.

# # #

Click Here

⬅️ Click left or right to see additional images ➡️

⬅️ Click left or right to see additional images ➡️

Posted on by

$5.35M in Medical Supplies Reach Turkiye, Northern Syria

More photos below

ISTANBUL, TURKIYE April 5, 2023 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently completed the distribution of a $5.35M medical aid shipment to earthquake-raved Turkiye and northern Syria.

The first two of seventeen containers arrived in Kahramanmaraş the day after a series of deadly earthquakes struck in Turkiye on February 6, 2023. The initial shipments included 200 hospital beds that were used to support doctors, medical technicians and nurses treating the critically injured in the wake of the disaster.

The remaining fifteen containers arrived in Mersin, a port city in Turkiye, and were dispatched to various hospitals and clinics within Turkiye and in northern Syria. Among the recipients were Kocaeli University Research and Application Hospital and Yozgat University Hospital in Turkiye, as well as Idlib National Hospital, Aqrabat Hospital, Noor Hospital for Women and Children as well as smaller clinics in the region.

The shipments included essential items such as medical equipment and devices, hospital beds and triage supplies. Hisham Morgan, operations director at Baitulmaal, oversaw the deliveries in Turkiye.

“The health sectors of both countries were overwhelmed and in dire need of medical supplies after such a large-scale tragedy. Those who survived the quakes were at risk of succumbing to their injuries without ongoing care and adequate resources,” Morgan said. “Thankfully, the shipments arrived in time. The receiving hospitals were very grateful for these donations and expressed their deepest appreciation to Baitulmaal donors.”

On February 6, 2023, a series of powerful earthquakes struck in southern Turkiye and northern Syria, followed by thousands of significant aftershocks including another deadly 6.3 magnitude quake two weeks after the initial 7.8 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes. As of February 22, 2023, the death toll stands at more than 47,000 people across both countries with thousands more injured, missing or displaced.

Baitulmaal has been on the ground in Turkiye and northern Syria mobilizing aid to affected areas. In addition to the $5.35M in medical supplies, Baitulmaal distributed more than 340,000 meals in cities such as Hatay, Gaziantep and Sanliurfa in Turkiye as well as in Idlib in northern Syria. The charity also distributed blankets, tents, clothing, shoes, heaters and firewood to displaced families.

Baitulmaal has been in the region prior to the earthquakes delivering aid. In addition to food and winter relief, Baitulmaal also supports Uyghur and Syrian refugees in Turkiye, oversees hundreds of donor-sponsored orphans, and has reconstructed four schools including a large vocational school in Ras Al-Ayn, Syria. To learn more about or contribute to these efforts, visit johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.

# # #

Click Here

⬅️ Click left or right to see additional images ➡️

⬅️ Click left or right to see additional images ➡️

Posted on by

Food, Heaters Distributed in Turkiye Before New Quake Struck; More Aid on the Way

???? More photos and video below… ????

GAZIANTEP, TURKIYE February 20, 2023 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed 430 heaters and firewood along with hot meals to families displaced by two powerful earthquakes that hit Turkiye and northern Syria early last week.

The distribution took place in Islahiya, Turkiye, one of the hard-hit towns in the province of Gaziantep. Most of the population is now living in tents away from cordoned-off areas full of damaged buildings and piles of rubble. Many were burning scraps to keep themselves warm in subzero temperatures, so the provision of heaters and firewood helps alleviate the cold and risk of unsafe heating methods.

Author and activist Linda Sarsour joined the Baitulmaal team on the ground in Turkiye and northern Syria, visiting with survivors, distributing aid, touring donor-funded schools, and bearing witness to the devastation of the quakes.

In an interview with TRTWorld, a Turkish public broadcast service, Sarsour called for sustainable solidarity.

“It’s not just one donation, these are people living in tents and have no idea when they’ll be able to live in permanent housing.” Sarsour said. “So the question is, will our solidarity be for one day? Is it temporary? Or are we going to stand with these people until they get back on their feet?”

One day after Sarsour returned to the United States, another powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck in Hatay, where Baitulmaal staff had just finished distributing 1,000 hot meals to survivors in Hatay and Gaziantep minutes before the ground shook. They are currently on the ground in the affected areas assessing the situation to mobilize more aid.

Sarsour is encouraging people to continue to support the efforts of humanitarian nonprofits like Baitulmaal as they rush to provide life-saving aid to those impacted by ongoing earthquakes in Turkiye and northern Syria.

Baitulmaal has been on the ground in Turkiye and northern Syria mobilizing aid to affected areas. The charity dispatched a $5.35M shipment of medical supplies which began to arrive in Kahramanmaraş, Turkiye as early as Tuesday of last week. Baitulmaal has also been regularly distributing hot meals, blankets, clothing, and shoes to displaced families and orphans. The charity is preparing to provide temporary shelters, run ambulance services and operate medical tents in the coming days. To learn more about or contribute to these efforts, visit johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.

# # #

Click Here

???? Watch Linda’s interview below ????

???? Click left or right to see additional images ????

???? Click left or right to see additional images ????