Qatar Charity (QC) laid the foundation stone for the ‘Al Karama’ city near the Al-Bab city in northern Aleppo countryside. The city, which will be built with the support from benefactors in Qatar, in cooperation with Turkey’s Gaziantep Province, is expected to provide safe and model housing for approximately 8,500 internally displaced Syrians.

The move coincided with the signing of an agreement by Qatar Charity and the Gaziantep Province, in the presence of several Turkish officials, to build this city.

Signing the Agreement

The agreement was signed in the Turkish capital, Ankara by Mr. Yousuf bin Ahmed al-Kuwari, the CEO of Qatar Charity, and Anil Alkal, the Deputy Governor of Gaziantep, in the presence of the Vice President of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) Önder Bozkurt, the Director General of Disaster Response at AFAD İsmail Palakoğlu, the Director General of International Affairs and Migration Management Alper Küçük, the Mayor of Akçakale Mehmet Yalçınkaya, the Mayor of the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Fatma Şahin, and the General Supervisor of Qatar Charity's office in Turkey Youssef Al-Hammadi.

As part of the reconstruction efforts for the earthquake-affected individuals in Turkey, Qatar Charity and the Gaziantep Municipality also signed another agreement to establish social housing for orphans in Gaziantep. This will include 40 residential apartments, each with an area of 100 square meters.

This agreement was signed by Mr. Yousuf bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari, the CEO of Qatar Charity, Mrs. Fatma Şahin, the Mayor of the Gaziantep Municipality, and Anil Alkal, the Deputy Governor of Gaziantep.

Qatar Charity's CEO stated, 'We at Qatar Charity emphasize the importance of supporting reconstruction projects in the areas that were affected in both Turkey and northern Syria, especially after the devastating earthquake that struck these regions in February. We also continue our relentless humanitarian efforts in establishing qualitative cities to house internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Syria, who have been enduring prolonged displacement, to preserve their human dignity. 

Al-Kuwari expressed his gratitude to the benefactors in Qatar for their generous donations and their unwavering support for their Syrian brothers and sisters during their ongoing plight, as well as for the Turkish brethren affected by the earthquake to alleviate their suffering and support the provision of shelter for the IDPs and the reconstruction efforts for those affected by the earthquake. He also extended his thanks to the Turkish officials for their cooperation in implementing these humanitarian projects.

On his part, the Deputy Governor of Gaziantep, Anil Alkal, expressed his appreciation for the ‘Al Karama’ city project, considering it will have a positive impact on the lives of Syrian IDPs. He described it as a model city because it will provide IDPs families with a dignified life, offering not only housing units but also educational, healthcare, and recreational services for them and their children.

He extended his gratitude to Qatar, both its government and its people, as well as to Qatar Charity, for their continuous humanitarian support and assistance to Syrian IDPs and refugees. He also praised their prompt response in aiding those affected by the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria in February. He acknowledged their ongoing coordination with Turkish authorities to implement several qualitative projects in the affected areas of Turkey.

Preserving IDPs’ Dignity

The 2023 Humanitarian Needs Overview indicates that shelter needs remain severe. The report adds that a large part of the population is suffering from protracted displacement in northeastern and northwestern Syria.

The city was named ‘Al Karama’ with the aim of preserving the dignity of IDPs by providing them with safe housing, dignified life, and comprehensive essential services. The implementation of the project will contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 11, which aims to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Integrated Facilities

The city will comprise 1,680 residential units and provide basic services through the establishment of integrated facilities, including educational, recreational, and infrastructural amenities. It will have 4 schools, a kindergarten, a primary healthcare center consisting of examination rooms, a reception area, a pharmacy, and patient accommodation. Additionally, it will have a mosque with a capacity for 600 worshippers, a market, a water well and tank, a sports club, a bakery, an electricity network for the entire city and homes, a water and sewage network, a public service building, a multi-purpose hall, a public park, and children's play areas.

Previous Projects

Qatar Charity launched a fundraising campaign named ‘the 27th Night Challenge’ for housing IDPs in cooperation with some social media influencers in Qatar, namely Abdullah AlGhafri, Dr Abdulrahman Alharami, and Mohamad Adnan. The campaign succeeded in raising QR 33 million in 3 hours to build the ‘Al Karama’ city in northern Syria and another city in Yemen.

It is worth mentioning that Qatar Charity had previously established the ‘Alamal’ city to provide 1,400 houses for over 8,800 IDPs in northern Syria.  This is a fully equipped multi-service city designed guided by the Syria Humanitarian Response Plan to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals. It includes all essential facilities such as educational institutions, kindergartens, a mosque, a healthcare center, a market, and children’s play area.