Turkish foods support children’s education

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Volunteer women cook Turkish foods to support education of needy students. AA photo

A group of women in Ankara’s Çubuk district are making traditional Turkish foods and giving the money they make to support education for needy children.

The group is making and selling foods such as mantı (Turkish dumplings), baklava, pancakes and pastries. The women, who are all more than 50 years old, provide scholarships for children from their earnings. The president of the group, Hatice Erkan, said there are many children in the district who cannot afford the education they want, speaking to the Anatolia news agency. “That’s why we wanted to create a scholarship with the money we earn from selling pastry.” Erkan said that none of the women can afford to support education directly themselves, “So we give away the money that we earn.”

Currently, the group includes a total of 65 women, who work on a volunteer basis. “Six years ago we saw a student who was in need of money, and we were able to help him. Then we realized that we would be able to continue helping students by selling pastry, and decided to continue.”

The group has awarded many scholarships. “Of the students we have helped, 13 are now studying medicine. We give them 100 liras per month. We want to help them, and we do not ask anything from them,” Erkan said.

Noting that the number of scholarship applications the group receives increases each year, Erkan said: “We can reach more students. We did not have the chance to study, and that’s why we want others to benefit.”