New app 'challenges', helps Syrian refugees


A new smartphone app designed by students at a Turkish university seeks to build bridges between locals and Syrian refugees as well as raise funds for refugees in the meantime.The app TaHadi which means"challenge" in Arabic, enables users to upload photos and videos for stunts they have undertaken, such as how long can one can balance a soccer ball on his or her feet or by drawing a difficult painting, and challenge others to do the same or better. The project which is the brainchild of students from the Department of International Relations at Ege University in the western city of İzmir, is catered both to Turkish and Syrian users, with the number of Syrians growing in İzmir like other parts of Turkey which currently hosts 2.7 million refugees.The group of students behind the app, known as RefugeeArt,describes it as a means to enhance "peer-to-peer relations between young Syrian refugees and Turkey's young population. The app is more of a social network rather than a simple challenge app." TaHadi also includes an online shop for products related to the app and part of its revenues will fund the education of refugee children.