Dadaab camp, located in northern Kenya’s Garissa County, is a home to over 400,000 refugees, mostly Somalis. Amongst the large number including children, more than 250 Somali children are prepared to receive free education sponsored by Turkey based agencies.
The children to receive the education are orphans whose parents died when they were trying to flee Somalia to seek refuge in Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya.
Turkish Deniz Feneri Association in collaboration with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) has opened Aysel and Serif Findikkaya Orphanage and Integrated Primary School for the children, who were orphaned while fleeing volatile situations in war-ravaged Somalia.
Mehmet Findikkaya, who is the main donor to the construction of the school, assured that the children will get free education.
The children who are the beneficiaries of this great project have appreciated and thanked the Turkish agencies that have provided them with education.
‘Now we have a bed to sleep on, we have education, food and water, something that we have not been used to having. I am thankful that our lives are looking at a brighter change, and I am thankful to the Turkish agencies,’ said Hamid Mohammed, a 12 year old who is a beneficiary of the Turkish donation.
Emre Yuksek, the Nairobi Coordinator for TIKA, expressed a concern about how absurd it is, that aid donors tend to neglect supporting refugee children with education, despite knowing how very important it is.
‘Despite the crucial role that education plays for disadvantaged communities, it is ignored by aid donors and governments. The impact of this is devastating,’ he said.
He added that Turkey would like to establish and encourage similar institutions like the Aysel and Serif Findikkaya Integrated Primary School in other parts of Africa.
Mehmet Cengiz, the director general of the Deniz Feneri Association, said the school and orphanage will host 256 students.
Cengiz also revealed that 180 of total 256 children will be boarding students.
‘May this facility be a home to thousands of orphans and children who are deprived of Formal Education.’
Reporter: Shamirah Namuddu
