Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency's activities in West Africa

"We, as Turkey, will reach out across the world to find all those in need and help them as much as we can."

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

GHANA

Pedagogical formation training for prospective Ghanaian teachers

Jan. 18 to April 30, 2016

The Prime Ministry Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) offers pedagogical formation training for Muslim Ghanaian university students at Fırat University's Faculty of Education in the eastern Elazığ province with the aim of enabling them to be teachers.

As part of the project, 27 Ghanaian university students will be given pedagogical formation certificates, which they have difficulty obtaining in their country, as a result of a three-and-a-half month training process. Thanks to the certificate, the students will obtain the ability to work as teachers in Ghana. The program, which was initiated on Jan. 18, 2016, is scheduled to be completed on April 30, 2016. TİKA covers international transportation and accommodation fees for the students.

The supply of FM education system for the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD)

TİKA supplied FM education systems, hearing aids and hearing loss measuring devices known as audiometers with the aim of enabling 80 Ghanaian students between 5 and 12 years old to receive education in the proper environment. These deaf students were receiving education with sign language alone and without using any hearing aids at an education center that is affiliated with the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD).

Moreover, a charcoal international sign language table was prepared in addition to the hand cards of that table, which were prepared for 500 students within the context of the project. It is planned that devices will be delivered to the GNAD during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to the country.

International Vocational and Technical Training Project (TÜRKMEK)

The International Vocational and Technical Training Project (TÜRKMEK) has been jointly conducted by TİKA and the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) since 2010.

The project aims to create a qualified workforce, which is required for development, by raising educators in countries with which Turkey has historical and cultural ties. It also aims to strengthen cultural cooperation by cementing relations. Training activities being carried out in various vocational fields aim to provide individuals who have leadership skills with the necessary qualifications so that they can return to their countries as people who can take a leading part in national development.

Course trainees who are brought to Turkey as part of the project are selected by nongovernmental organizations and business organizations in a coordinated way. The project is supported by embassies, consulates and the International Blue Crescent Relief and Development Foundation (IBC). The trainees are educated in 62 fields and more than 200 branches in National Education Ministry's vocational and technical high schools. So far, nearly 1,000 trainees have been brought to Turkey and given vocational education certificates.

TİKA helps the completion of 12-year-long school construction in Ghana

Relying on the idea that education is the greatest investment made in human, TİKA is carrying out educational projects in more than 100 countries on five continents. The construction of a three-story and 16-class room secondary school, which lingered for 12 years, was completed with TİKA's supports in four months. The school was handed over to Ghanaian authorities in a ceremony.

COTE D'IVOIRE

The construction and furnishing of Youpogon preschool and playground for the visually impaired

TİKA has launched work to complete the construction of a preschool that was initiated by the Youpogon School for the Visually Impaired, which operates within the body of Cote d'Ivoire Social Affairs Ministry. TİKA also aims to furnish the preschool that was left unfinished due to the inadequacy of allocations in addition to completing the construction of a playground in front of the preschool that was left unfinished for the same reason. The projects are scheduled to be inaugurated during Erdoğan's visit to the country.

Abidjan Al-Manarat Al-Madrasa Al-Islamiya renovation and furnishing project in progress

Renovations were carried out on the Abidjan Al-Manarat Al-Madrasa Al-Islamiya as a part of the "Going beyond Borders, Making Friends" project, which is run in cooperation between TİKA and the Young Bosnians Association. The renovation, which was also supported by madrasa students, was later expanded in accordance with needs and is in progress at the moment.

The 400-student madrasa offers education to university students in various fields such as Islamic law. TİKA covers renovation and furnishing expenditures that are as much as 100,000 euros. TİKA also supplied carpets for the mosque, which is one of the outbuildings of the madrasa. TİKA is also carrying out work in accordance with the demand for construction of a mezzanine floor in the mosque. The madrasa is one of the few schools accredited by the Cote d'Ivoire Education Ministry.

The furnishing of a health center in the town of Akoupe-Zeudji

Upon a request from the embassy in Abidjan, TİKA delivered various medical devices, including EKGs and ultrasound machines, urine analyzers, fetal dopplers, nebulizers and wheelchairs in addition to nearly 100 kilograms of medicine to the authorities of a health center in the town of Akoupe-Zeudji in a ceremony attended by a Turkish delegation.

The health center offers service for nearly 20,000 people. Due to bad roads that connect the town to the city center, people had great difficulty accessing health services. With the increase of the capacity of the health center, a great number of patients have been provided with health services under better conditions.

Renovation and furnishing Granbassam Orphanage

TİKA has prepared a project to renovate and furnish the Granbassam Orphanage, which accommodates 125 girls, in the long term due to the inadequacy of the required time. Additionally, it has initiated work to renovate and furnish the orphanage's infirmary, build a computer room and provide various food items and cleaning materials in accordance with the list of requirements. The projects are scheduled to be inaugurated during Erdoğan's visit to the country.

NIGERIA

The supply of mosquito nets for Nigeria's IDP camps

Nigerian authorities notified Turkey that there was a need for 2 million mosquito nets to protect displaced people who live in camps due to terrorism in northern parts of the country, from malaria. TİKA decided to supply 3,000 mosquito nets to protect people living in the internally displaced person (IDP) camps from malaria. Additionally, the Turkish Embassy to Abuja will provide an additional 3,000 mosquito nets for Nigeria's IDPs by means of the Turkish Religious Foundation.

Food aid to IDP camps in northern Nigeria

During President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit, TİKA has decided to supply three trucks of food to Nigerians by means of the Nigerian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which organizes humanitarian aid activities in the country.

Food aid to 200 families living in IDP camps in Abuja

TİKA has completed work to supply food, cleaning materials, diapers and infant formula for nearly 200 families who moved to the outskirts of Abuja due to terror. The materials will be delivered to needy families during Erdoğan's delegation's visit to the country.

The renovation of infirmary, dining hall and rooms at Al-Ansar Girls Orphanage

TİKA has completed the renovation of rooms, the infirmary and dining hall of Al-Ansar Girls Orphanage, which was supported by Nigerian first lady Aisha Buhari. The agency also completed arranging work on the access road to the orphanage. The results will be revealed during Erdoğan's visit.