More than TL 25 million has been raised in a special telethon organized by the Samanyolu Media Group and Turkish charity foundation Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) for famine-stricken Somalia.
Titled “İnsanlık Ölmedi” (Humanity Has Not Died), the show was aired as part of relief efforts and was broadcast by stations affiliated with the Samanyolu Media Group, including STV and Samanyolu Haber TV, on Thursday night. The show was hosted by Gezegen Mehmet, a famous radio host.
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| Actor Tolgahan Sayışman (L) and singer Seda Sayan (C) accepted donations from a little girl during a special fundraising telecast. (L) Famous businessman Ali Ağaoğlu and AK Party İstanbul deputy Hakan Şükür helped launch the telethon. (R) |
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also spoke with the show's host over the phone. Praising the campaign, Erdoğan talked about his plans to address the famine that hit the Horn of Africa. “During a meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference [OIC] on Aug. 17, we will propose a different assistance process for Somalia and Africa. After that meeting, my wife and I will visit the [famine-stricken] places and think of [new] projects. Doctors and mobile hospitals from the [Turkish] Health Ministry will contribute to relief efforts. Also I will make a speech on this issue at the United Nations General Assembly,” Erdoğan said.
In response to a question regarding the needy of Turkey, Erdoğan said his party distributed food to those in need across the nation, and added that the conditions in Somalia cannot be compared to anywhere else in the world. “Thank God there is nobody in our country [living] in those conditions. We will help the people there as our ancestors did,” he said.
Celebrity guests included Kayahan, Seda Sayan, Ümit Sayın, Erhan Güleryüz, Murat Kekilli, İbrahim Erkal, Murat Dalkılıç, Vatan Şaşmaz, Tolgahan Sayışman and Erhan Ufak. They spoke with those who called in to give donations throughout the night.
Kimse Yok Mu Chairman Ünal Öztürk said the organizers are happy about the interest people showed. “Let alone the numbers, the interest of our people in such charities is very important. A lot of celebrities and businessmen helped out. A little girl gave us her pocket money. This aid will reach places where it is needed. However, what matters is to work on permanent solutions,” Öztürk added.
The first contribution in the campaign came from famous singer Kayahan's daughter, Aslı Gönül, while the largest amount, TL 750,000 was donated by the Doğuş Group. Businessman Ali Ağaoğlu donated TL 250,000 and the Turkish national basketball team, led by NBA superstar Hidayet Türkoğlu, donated TL 150,000. The student association of Gaziantep Sunguroğlu Private High School donated TL 100,000. Both businessman Murat Doğanay and famous TV host Acun Ilıcalı each donated TL 50,000.
Owner of the Rixos hotel chain Fettah Tamince and Fatih University Rector Şerif Ali Tekalan also participated in the telethon.
Published on Today's Zaman, 12 August 2011, Friday
