The Hope Caravan Association (Umut Kervanı Derneği) has provided school supplies to children from needy families in Batman ahead of the new academic year, bringing relief and joy to hundreds of students facing financial hardship.

As part of its annual back-to-school assistance campaign, the association distributed essential stationery supplies—including school bags, notebooks, erasers and pens—to children from 450 families this year.

The initiative aims to help families struggling to meet the rising costs of education and ensure that children can begin the new school year with the basic materials they need.

Salih Gültekin, Deputy Chairman of the Batman branch of Umut Kervanı, said the association's support for disadvantaged families continues throughout the year and extends well beyond back-to-school assistance.

He said the organization provides food packages during Ramadan, sacrificial meat during Eid al-Adha, as well as clothing, food and other forms of assistance to families in need.

“At the beginning of the school opening season, we provide stationery aid to the children of needy families,” Gültekin said. “This year, we are providing stationery support to 450 families. We would like to increase this number two, three, or even more times.”

Gültekin called on philanthropists and members of the community in Batman to increase their support so the association can reach more families.

“The more support they give us, the more needy families we will be able to reach,” he said, emphasizing that the organization seeks to address families’ basic needs, particularly food, clothing and educational supplies.

He described Umut Kervanı as a bridge between people willing to help and families in need, urging philanthropists not to abandon disadvantaged households.

“Our aid will continue throughout all twelve months of the year,” Gültekin said. “We will continue to stand by our needy families, from clothing aid to sacrificial meat aid, from food aid to stationery aid.”

Gültekin also spoke about the emotional impact of the campaign, saying that seeing children and families receive assistance with gratitude brings happiness to those involved in the relief efforts.

“Thank God, when we see the faces of needy people light up, we also feel happy,” he said, stressing the importance of collective solidarity.

He said the association currently has approximately 17,000 registered families whose needs have been individually assessed by field teams and evaluation commissions.

According to Gültekin, the number of registered needy families has increased steadily, rising from around 15,000 two years ago to 16,000 last year and approximately 17,000 this year.

Gültekin said the 17,000 families registered with the association require assistance in a range of areas, including food, clothing and stationery.

“It is not possible for us alone to reach all of these 17,000 families,” he said, calling for greater participation from philanthropists and the wider community.

He emphasized that every additional contribution would allow the association to reach more households and alleviate the difficulties faced by families struggling to meet their basic needs.

Umut Kervanı's Batman branch aims to expand its assistance programs and reach more families whose needs have been identified through home visits and field assessments.

As the new school year approaches, the association's campaign highlights the importance of community solidarity in helping children from disadvantaged families begin their education with dignity, confidence and the supplies they need to learn. (ILKHA)