Turkish Foundation Diyanet Hands Over Solar Powered Boreholes

As part of executing its mandate, the Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) solicits funding from
local as well as international donors. Given this fact, since assuming office, the Chairman of
Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) Sheikh Idrissah Muhammad has made several fund raising
trips abroad wooing donor financial support. These included a visit to Headquarters of Diyanet
Foundation in Ankara, Turkey.

In April 2021, Diyanet sent its delegation to Malawi for the first time and the trip had four main purposes which
included official handing over of the Solar powered boreholes which the organization donated to Malawi through
MAM. The officials also came to monitor the ongoing projects on another set of Solar powered boreholes, distribute
Ramadan food hampers worth 10,000 US Dollars and conducting of interviews of the students who were short listed
in the online applications in March this year.

Speaking to Insight Bulletin, the leader of delegation, Professor Ismail Guler, said that “As one way of increasing access to safe and clean water, our organization partnered with (MAM) to construct 12 solar powered boreholes which we have handed over in some districts of the Eastern region during our trip,” he said.

Guler further said that this is the first time he has visited Malawi and he hopes that Malawians will benefit more not
only from Diyanet Foundation but also from many other Turkish organizations and Turkish Government especially in the areas of Education which they have identified as the main challenge facing the youth in most of the areas they have visited. “I will convey this message to my office once we return home and we hope more visits will follow in sha’a Allah,” he concluded.

In his remarks Sheikh Abdullah Omar Mdala who used to accompany the Chairman in all his trips to Turkey, told
Insight Bulletin that, “This is the first time ever a Turkish Non-Governmental Organization has responded to MAM’s
request to come to Malawi and bring different developmental activities like the provision of clean water, fully funded
scholarships for Tertiary students as well as relief donations in times of need. As MAM we are very happy with this gesture and we hope that Malawians will benefit from this relationship.”

Mdala further said that as a pilot project the 12 Solar Powered boreholes have been constructed in Blantyre,
Chiradzulu, Zomba, Machinga, Balaka and Mangochi districts.

The delegation came into the country following several visits which the National Chairman for MAM, Sheikh
Idrissa Muhammad made to Turkey including the 2019 trip where he met the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.