The Turkish Red Crescent plans to provide assistance to as many as 12 million people during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the humanitarian organization's president Kerem Kınık said Sunday.

"During Ramadan we aim to reach 12 million people in Turkey and around the world. There are about nine million people, especially in Eastern Africa and Yemen, suffering from hunger and drought," Kınık said.

According to Kınık, Ramadan is a month of mobilization; both the aid from those willing to help increases and the expectations of the needy are higher.

"We are going to organize Ramadan-related activities in 19 countries, including Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Yemen, Pakistan and Bangladesh as well as some other countries in Africa, Asia and Europe," Kınık said.

Kınık also added that during Ramadan the Red Crescent would try to touch the hearts of the poor across Turkey as well as to touch the hearts of the injured from conflict-ridden areas such as Syria and Iraq.

The Turkish Red Crescent is the largest humanitarian organization in Turkey and is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.