A Turkish charity has unveiled an ambitious plan to build Ottoman-styled "social compounds" in four African states.
Turkey's Cansuyu Charity and Solidarity Organization is constructing four külliyes (social compounds), an official from the charity said on Tuesday.
Mesut Ceylan, the association's representative responsible for Mali, told Anadolu Agency that the külliyes are being built in Mali, Chad, Cameroon and Togo.
"The social compounds, which are built in the Ottoman architecture style, include small mosques, classrooms, water tanks and a fountain. For example, the complex in Mali occupies 850 square meters," Ceylan said.
A külliye is an Ottoman-styled compound featuring buildings which offer various charitable services. It is surrounded by a series of ancillary buildings such as madrassas (religious schools), libraries and public fountains.
Stating that the compounds will meet the needs of the local people, Ceylan said: "All these compounds are built with donations."
"When these social compounds are completed, our African brothers will have important centers for religious and educational activities," he added.
During the four-day Qurban Bayram holiday, the organization also sacrificed 30,000 animals in 60 different locations for needy people in Turkey, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Balkans and Caucasus and delivered relief to almost 200,000 families.
