The campaign will run between February 1 and March 31 and 230 projects will be carried out as part of the campaign across 41 countries and regions including Turkey.

Taking care of 27,354 orphans in Turkey and 41 countries and regions in the world, IHH is organizing this campaign in order to raise awareness about orphans and take aid to more number of these children.

As part of the campaign, which is held for the second time this year, a total of 230 projects will be implemented. The projects will be developed in four main areas, healthcare, education, social and cultural aid. As part of these projects, there will be delivery of winter relief such as blankets, stove-fuel wood, clothing, delivery of food, furniture, white goods, construction or maintenance of houses, maintenance of orphanages, meeting the yearly needs of orphanages, dowry aid, projects to improve living circumstances of orphans’ families, offering of medical examinations, delivery of mosquito nets, cleaning kits, organization of circumcision ceremonies, delivery of stationery supplies, books, school uniforms, Quran, offering of additional courses for students who prepare for exams, organization of book-reading activities, poetry, essay, painting, talent and knowledge contests, organization of picnics and excursions, sports contests, entertainment programs, funfair and kite-flying events, visits to nursing homes and homes of children without a family, photo and painting exhibitions, cinema and theater shows, organization of breakfasts and other events.

Aiming to reach out to 30,000 orphans with the campaign and take regular care of at least 5,000 of them, IHH will also have its annual Orphan Solidarity Days on March 16 and March 31, which coincides with the end of the “Make room for orphans in your world,” campaign.

As part of the 2013 Orphan Solidarity Days, IHH will send teams from Turkey to 23 countries where it carries out orphan relief work. Among the countries IHH teams will pay visits are Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen in the Middle East, Somalia, Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania in Africa, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Arakan, Sri Lanka, Thailand/Patani, Pakistan, Kashmir, Philippines/Moro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan in Asia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania and Macedonia in the Balkans and Turkey.

Stories of the holy trusts who grow up with your support

Aicha, an orphan in Burkina Faso, lost her parents due to a health problem when she was at the age of eight. Being the only daughter of the family, she began to live with her grandmother after losing her parents.

Although she is happy with her grandmother and friends, she cannot hide the fact that absence of her parents makes her living circumstances more difficult. Financial support given to Aicha by IHH through the Sponsor Family System alleviates the financial burden of the eight-member family she lives with. Aicha’s biggest dream is to have electricity in their village and be able to study with a lamplight instead of candle light. Aicha, who goes to preparatory class in the secondary school, wants to continue with her education, become a good doctor and treat people.

Dina, who was the apple of her parents’ eyes, was at the age of nine when a tsunami disaster took place in Aceh. While she was watching TV with her parents at home, they were first shaken by a quake. When they wanted to flee their home, they were faced with giant waves which swept through them and everything they had. When the tsunami ended, Dina was found in a place she did not know. Dina’s relatives who came to take her told her that her parents are no longer alive. It took her a long time to believe in what took place. Dina, who lives in the Istanbul Orphan Complex which was established by IHH in the region, is now 17 years old. She loves the orphanage very much and sees it as her home. She also loves her friends with whom she plays after school and shares the same room and also her Turkish parents who support her. Her biggest dream is to take university education and have a school established in the future where orphans like her can receive education.

Mumin Halid is from Palestine. He lives in a humble house in Gaza with his mother and four siblings. He lost his father due to a health problem when he was two. Mumin pays a lot of attention not to miss daily prayers. He is a seven grader.

After coming from school in the afternoon, Mumin goes to mosque for the asr and maghrib prayers and in between these prayers he takes Quran courses to memorize the holy book. The only thing Mumin, who is now 12, wants is to have a larger house which has electricity and a playfield where he can play football with his friends. He says he wants to become a civil engineer when he grows up and construct beautiful buildings in Gaza. Mumin makes frequent mention of Turkey, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Istanbul and Mavi Marmara.