TİKA Supports Young People Who Have Overcome Their Drug Addiction in Sudan

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided vocational training materials to street children and young people who have overcome their drug addiction in the East African country of Sudan.

In the capital, Khartoum, young people who have overcome their drug addiction were provided vocational training by Bit Makali, a local association; and now, they have a job thanks to the machines and equipment provided by TİKA.

The ceremony held at the Police Officers’ Club in the capital, Khartoum, for the delivery of the materials donated by TİKA was attended by Turkey’s Ambassador to Khartoum İrfan Neziroğlu, TİKA’s Khartoum Coordinator Bilal Özden, Chairman of the Bit Makali Association Lubna Ali Abdulrahman, and Sudanese police service officers.

In his speech, Ambassador Neziroğlu said, “After the training programs they attended, we provided materials to 105 young drug addicts through TİKA. We implemented this project with the support of a non-governmental organization and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Sudan. Thankfully, these kids have overcome their drug problem. Some of them will become barbers, and some will be mechanics. I hope they will all serve in different fields. We provided them with machines and devices; now, they will practice their professions and earn their living. We are extremely happy about it.”

TİKA Coordinator Özden said, “We donated materials to 105 young people who were saved from drug addiction and who were given vocational training, in order to help them turn their vocational training into production. I hope they will stand on their own two feet and participate in the economy. They will be free from the barriers that led them to drug addiction.”

Lubna Ali Abdulrahman, Chairman of the Bit Makali Association, thanked Turkey and Turkish NGOs for their helping hand and called for more support.

Stating that they received requests for assistance from other countries as well, Abdulrahman said, “We could only achieve success by cooperating with TİKA and Turkey.”

Bekri Muhammed Musa, one of the young people to whom TİKA provided materials, said, “I was living on the street. The Bit Makali Association looked after us and saved us from disgrace. They saved our lives by helping us enter a profession. I’m a blacksmith. Thanks to the materials provided by TİKA, I will be able to practice my profession. I would like to thank those who contributed to this project.”

Ahmed Ali, another young man, said, “Now we are able to meet our needs ourselves. May Allah bless those who provided us with this opportunity. I would like to invite all the children living on the street to come here, join us, and break out of this miserable life.”