Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • TÜRKİYE
  • Istanbul
  • Education
  • Investigations
  • Minorities
  • Expat Corner
  • Diaspora

Afghan migrants in Turkey volunteer to sew masks in fight against outbreak

by DAILY SABAH

ISTANBUL Jun 10, 2020 - 1:47 pm GMT+3
Musa Hüseyni sews a mask in a workshop, in Trabzon, Turkey, June 10, 2020. (AA Photo)
Musa Hüseyni sews a mask in a workshop, in Trabzon, Turkey, June 10, 2020. (AA Photo)
by DAILY SABAH Jun 10, 2020 1:47 pm

A group of Afghan migrants in northern Turkey stepped up to the plate to help Turkey in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. An association, set up by ethnic Afghan Hazaras settled in Turkey years ago, now runs a mask workshop. Migrants, who hail Turkey's warm embrace, say they pay off “their debt” to the country by sewing masks to be used in combatting the outbreak.

In the small workshop, members of the Culture and Solidarity Association of Afghan Hazaras in the northern Turkish city of Trabzon work behind sewing machines to sew medical masks. Members, who were trained in a local vocational learning center, make 5,000 masks a day, working six days a week.

The association’s president Muhammet Gül told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Wednesday that their organization was established in 2012 and now has branches in 16 provinces where migrants live.

“Turkey is in a much better place in the pandemic compared with other countries thanks to early measures by the state. We wanted to help the country further,” he says. Since the early days of the pandemic, the association members have been sewing masks. Currently, eight migrants work at the workshop. “We started with 1,000 masks a day and managed to increase it to 5,000. We handed them public agencies. We gave 10,500 masks to the Trabzon Governorate and thousands of others to municipalities. So far, we produced 100,000 masks and have 20,000 more ready for delivery,” he said. Gül noted that other migrants were also producing soap to fight the pandemic. “Turkey has been a big brother for us and we are ready to do anything for the country,” he said.

Musa Hüseyni, one of the workers at the workshop, said they supported Turkey’s fight against the pandemic and sought to help authorities by sewing masks.

Thousands of volunteers all across the country have been working day and night to produce masks and protective gear for health care workers embattled by the coronavirus cases since the outbreak made its way into Turkey in March.

Turkey initially delivered free masks to each citizen and authorities assured that there won’t be any shortages, both for citizens and for health care workers. Later, it allowed for the sale of masks for a fixed, low price. Since the outbreak grew, vocational schools, vocational learning centers of local administrations and private companies started producing masks. Skilled people of all ages volunteer to work around the clock in sewing workshops. Some vocational schools and individuals who own 3D printers are also volunteering to produce face shields.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Jun 10, 2020 2:58 pm
    KEYWORDS
    afghan turkey hazaras covid-19 outbreak trabzon masks
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    A man carries rocks after a storm hit the village of Assos.
    Rare Mediterranean storm hits Greece's Ionian islands
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021