Turkish Charity Opens 10 Schools in Pakistan

The ten schools built in Pakistan with aid donated in the "Kimse Yok mu? (Isn't There Anybody?)" Campaign run by a Turkish charity organization, were opened in a ceremony attended by Kashmir Provincial Prime Minister Serdar Iskender Hayathan.

Many buildings and schools were destroyed in the earthquake on 8 September.

The "Isn't There Anybody?" project, which was the first non-governmental organization to arrive at the disaster region, re-construced and handed over 10 schools, six of which are in Kashmir and the other four in Serhad, to the Pakistani government.

A Muzaffarabad ceremony began with Hayathan's speech, "My lover speaks Turkish, but I do not know it," a phrase which is commonly used in Kashmir.

"I thank the Turkish people from the bottom of my heart for sharing and soothing our pains," said Hayathan, highlighting Turkey was the first country to rush to help with aid and transporting equipment.

Delivering his speech at the ceremony, attended by 140 Turkish businessmen and members of the charity organization, Prime Minister of Kashmir said the Turkish charity organization built an unforgettable construction for the Pakistani people and these schools will carry the Turkish-Pakistani brotherhood into the future. "I pray that Turkish and Pakistani brotherhood continues forever," the Pakistani official said.

Schools have 350-student capacity

The ten schools were completed in five months, each was built on a 760 meter square area and all have a 350 student capacity.

The "Isn't There Anybody?" association presented $4 million of the $12 million of financial aid raised by the Turkish people in the form of a check to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. The association built four tent-cities costing $2.5 million, and built and equipped 10 schools with the remaining amount.