Kimse Yok Mu gathers ‘sister families’ at iftar

Zeynep Kırşan, Cihan Acar

Kimse Yok Mu, a Turkish charity, has brought philanthropists, families of martyrs and families in need together for an iftar.

The organization finds a “sister family” or a “sister student” for those who want to take care of the basic needs of a family or student. And on Wednesday Kimse Yok Mu held its 5th Traditional Sister Family Iftar, where families providing help and receiving help came together.

The event, attended by approximately 500 people, started with a recitation of the Quran followed by Sufi music performances. Philanthropist Nimet Sungun Öyden, who was the first to have a sister family in İstanbul, said they are trying to help everyone who comes to Kimse Yok Mu seeking help, but their priorities are always with their sister families. Her sister family is that of Zarema Zhulalaeva, who lost her husband in the Chechen-Russian war. After losing both her legs during the war, Zhulalaeva came to Turkey with her two sons to receive treatment here. Zhulalaeva said she has not seen the goodness she has witnessed in Turkish people in her own people.

One of the students that received financial support from philanthropists via the organization is Abdulkerim Musa, who came from famine-stricken Somalia to study psychology in Turkey. He said he has been greatly affected by the Turkish culture that attaches a huge significance to hospitality.

Kimse Yok Mu aims to distribute 90,000 food packages to those in need in Turkey during the fasting month of Ramadan.

Published on Today's Zaman, 02 August 2012, Thursday