Exciting news! Charity Right is expanding the Health, Hifz & Happiness programme to include Uyghur refugees in Turkey.
Why Turkey?
We aim to further assist Uyghur refugees as they settle in Turkey.
Although we already support two Uyghur schools in Istanbul, the Hifz, Health & Happiness programme will now include Kayseri, home to Turkey’s second-largest Uyghur community.
Why Help Turkey’s Uyghur Community?
Uyghurs are Turkic Muslims from Northeast China who have faced persecution for decades. Since 2014, the Chinese government have tightened policies on religious practices, imprisoning Uyghurs for fasting, growing a beard, wearing a Hijab or Niqab, or even learning the Quran.
Many fled their homes to preserve their identity, but hundreds remain detained in China while their families make a new home in Turkey.
Although safe from persecution, Uyghur refugees in Turkey still face numerous struggles:
1–Losing their identity: Without a community focal point, Uyghurs struggle to establish facilities and businesses, with many second-generation Uyghurs not even knowing the language!
2–Lack of money: Most men can only secure poorly paid jobs. But with many husbands detained in China or imprisoned by local governments in Vietnam and Thailand, hundreds of mothers are stuck looking after children, unable to work and leading to worse financial hardships.
How Will Health, Hifz & Happiness Help?
Uyghur children in Turkey strive to preserve their cultural and religious identity while integrating into Turkish society. They attend Uyghur schools to learn the language, history and culture in the morning, before going to Turkish schools for academic studies and then returning to Uyghur schools again for Islamic studies, Arabic and to memorise the Quran.
Memorising the Quran combines recitation, memorisation and lifelong skills, opening doors to higher education.
These kids have such long days, they can’t keep going on an empty stomach – they need the energy!
Health, Hifz & Happiness aims to make the community self-sufficient by reducing domestic costs and providing school meals to Hifz students. It improves their nutritional health and supports their education.
Ready to Start a Sponsorship?
Our Hifz sponsorship programme is Zakat-eligible, fulfilling your obligation while supporting Uyghur students at the same time.
Sponsor a Uyghur Hifz student in Turkey and give them hope for a brighter future.
