Kimse Yok Mu deputy chair: “We are probably the sole Turkish NGO with a chapter in Palestine”

Kimse Yok Mu deputy chair and director for Ankara chapter Ibrahim Cicek noted the foundation has spent nearly 3.5 million TL on its Palestine donations over the past year. “We are probably the sole Turkish NGO with a chapter in Palestine.”

Speaking at a press conference at KYM Ankara, Cicek briefed the audience on their efforts. He said the foundation is assisting 113 countries and Palestine is among the top five. “We have spent 3.5 million TL on Palestine out of the 11 million total over the past year. We target 21,5 million TL for 2015-2016 efforts. The efforts for Palestine will include an orphanage, health care center, housing and renovations, surgeries, wheelchairs, food, clothing and medications.”

“Our foundation has equipped the dialysis department at Sifa Hospital in Palestine. It also provided medication and equipment for the newborn department. We’ll continue our efforts for Palestine and Gaza. It may look like KYM is not doing much for these places because of inadequate publicity. But it’s probably the leading organization that assist Gaza.”

“Ankara chapter alone is assisting 22 thousand 456 families”

KYM has chapters in 33 cities across the country. “Ankara has its own chapters in several neighboring cities too, including Cankiri, Kastamonu, Kirikkale, Tokat and Yozgat, assisting 22 thousand 456 families in total. Here is the headquarter for Ramadan and Eid al-Adha donations too. We also have volunteer representatives in these cities. They are helping us with research and distribution of donations.”

KYM has assisted 320 thousand families nationwide. “It is the third best organization around the world with the highest individual donations. The number one and two are in the US and Taiwan respectively. We used to have 53 thousand volunteers just one year ago. Today it’s 206 thousand 293 volunteers, with 10 thousand 583 of them being in Ankara. Our target for 2015 is 250 thousand.”

Turkey has 12 organizations holding the permit to collect donations without pre-approval. Among them, KYM has distributed 850 million-worth donations over 12 years, which equals the total amount the other 11 organizations have done.

Excerpted from the article published [in Turkish] on Samanyolu Haber, 31 March 2015, Tuesday