Country Information
Founded: 1200 (as The Ottoman Empire) 1922 (as The Republic of Turkey)
Land Area: 780,580 Square Kilometers (Slightly larger than Texas)
Climate: hot and dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in the interior
Agricultural Land Usability: 30%
Natural Hazards: severe earthquakes especially in northern Turkey
Environmental issues: deforestation, water and air pollution, oil spill concerns along coastline
The People
Population: 70,413,958
Infant Mortality Rate: 40 deaths / 1000 births
Life Expectancy: 73 years
Major Diseases: no common risk
Religions: 99% Muslim, 1% Christians and Jews
Literacy Rate: 87%
Unemployment rate: 11%
Population below the UN-established Poverty Line: : 22%
Special Conditions
Estimations place 1,000,000 internally displaced persons due to the fighting between Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most are along the southeastern provinces.
Identifying the Need
Kurdish refugees along the southeast live in harsh conditions with a great level of poverty. Education and food aid are heavy need for the refugees as well as pockets of non-refugees who are impoverished.
How The Zakat Foundation Has Responded
Zakat Foundation provides iftar (breaking fast) meals in Turkey as well as food distributions to poor communities.
As in other countries, these meals benefit needy Muslim communities during Ramadan and help our donors fulfill any obligations they may have that necessitate offering compensation for previously missed fasts.
The slaughter and distribution of Udhiya meats is done for the benefit of carefully identified poor communities in Turkey.
Currently we are sponsoring 10 orphans in Turkey, but with the upcoming establishment of a school (see below) that number should increase.
Orphans in Turkey are placed with families and this sponsorship is intended to help supplement the expenses that proper families can incur while providing proper care to the children.
In fall of 2006 The Zakat Foundation began construction of a school to serve poor children in Turkey. The school was completed in 2007 and now serves grades 1-8, providing approximately 170 students with a quality education that incorporates Islamic studies with a standard curriculum.
