DOHA: Qatar Charity (QC) has opened a bakery and a kitchen for displaced Syrians on the Turkish-Syrian border.
The launch was held on the final day of a QC delegation’s trip, in the presence of Kilis City the Governor Suleiman Tubbsz, local officials, Yusuf bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, CEO, QC, and Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Jassim Al Thani.
The delegation also visited the Oncupinar camp on the border and distributed stationery to 6,000 students in the School of Peace in the camp.
The cost of establishing the bakery and kitchen in the city of Kilis was over QR2m. The kitchen has a production capacity of 50,000 meals a day, while the bakery will produce 100,000 loaves a day.
The bakery was funded by the ‘Competitors 2’ team which over the last few months had collected QR12m in donations.
Both establishments will be run by Syrians, providing job opportunities and food support for refugees in Turkey.
Al Kuwari stressed that the relief of the Syrian people is at the forefront of QC’s priorities in light of the size and magnitude of their suffering and said QC was recently named the first in the world in support for the Syrian people over the last three years, according to a report from the UN’s OCHA.
QC spent QR205m until this January-end, benefitting around 4,218,000 people.
He also spoke of QC’s determination to lay the foundation stone for a housing village for the displaced in the city of Al Rayyan in the coming days, which will include 1,000 units, comprising furniture and sheltering services, at a cost of QR44m, in cooperation with Turkish relief organisation, IHH.
Tubbsz, expressed thanks and gratitude on behalf of the Turkish government to the Qatari government and people and QC for support for the displaced Syrians and refugees.
“We found QC with us side by side to serve this segment, especially when we are adjacent to the Syrian borders.”
Bulent Yildirim, Head, Humanitarian Relief, IHH, said: “I am grateful to the people and government of Qatar and QC because they have spared no effort in the rescue and relief of the Syrians, focusing on Syrians displaced inside the country, who are particularly vulnerable.”
In a statement, Ibrahim Ali Abdullah Abbel, Director, Relief Department, QC, said the current projects were “the first fruits of the ‘Competitors’ initiative.
The initiative was established by QC to involve Qatari youth in charity work and allow people to benefit from their skills and abilities in marketing projects for the benefit of the affected in Syria.”
The Peninsula
