Istanbul/
IMKANDER delivers aid to hundreds of families on a regular basis. Refugees of war from Chechnya, Dagestan, Cherkessia and Syria that have taken shelter in Turkey are given rental, food and educational aid each month regularly. We have talked with Murat Özer, Chairman of İMKANDER as to how these aids are organised.
To which families does IMKANDER deliver aid?
Objective of our association is to call attention to the problems war refugees are having, and to make contributions to fraternity by and between the refugees and the helping people. To this end, we endeavour to help our brothers and sisters that have taken shelter in our country due to war or occupations in their homeland.
What kind of aid and supports are delivered?
Widowed women who have lost her husband to war and families with orphan children are prioritised amongst the families that apply to the association. We contact with these families regularly, and determine their needs and requirements. We give cash assistance at the beginning of each month regularly to meet their rental, utility and educational expenses depending on their needs. We keep these aids and assistance under records regularly.
Isn't it difficult to handle cash assistance each month regularly? How do you find a steady source for this?
You are right. This is extremely difficult. Many international relief organisations collect contributions and then distribute them to the people in need. In other words, their aids should not have to be periodic. This is however not the case for us. It becomes an obligation for us to meet not only the tangible needs but also the educational and legal requirements of the families that we decide to deliver aid. We take care of a set of particularity including but not limited to education of children, asylum and residence transactions of families. That is to say, we become a family. Philanthropists find us and sponsor for the needs and requirements of the families. It is definitely difficult to take care of all of them economically. We would never be able to succeed if God did not help. These works are the kind of works that can be overcome by governments, not by the charity organisations.
Do you have any projects for education of children?
Most of the children that have taken shelter in our country do not have a regular residence. Some of them do not have an identity card or a passport. That is why they cannot go to school. For five years now we have been providing them with education at Refugees' School. We teach Turkish to children and their mother. We help our brothers and sisters adapt themselves to our country. In addition to this, we also teach children basic Islamic sciences (Holy Koran, prophetic biography and Islamic jurisprudence), mathematics, social sciences and history. Just like the students at the centre, the teachers are also refugees themselves. Our educational activities at Başakşehir was considered as an exemplary work for the refugees issue and reported as news by National Geographic.
Why is it so important for you to help refugees?
Emigration is not only a run-away from tyranny but also a form of reconstruction. Consider the hejira of Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and his companions to Medina. Muslims ran away from the molestation and oppression of the polytheists of Mecca, and took shelter in Yesrib. Here, they made Medina out of Yesrib. The refugees built up a brand new future with the help from the helping people of Medina. This is a reciprocal acquisition. We do not consider our refugee brothers and sisters as "people in need". This is a help we deliver for ourselves. hejira has always been a mode of reconstruction. There are 2 million Syrian, ten thousands of Caucasian, East Turkistani and Uzbek refugees in our country. We will build up awareness of growing into an ummah again, and will establish a new civilisation.
