With a theme “all smile, if an orphan smiles”, a two-day orphan solidarity days (OSD) was offered to 54 Moro orphans housed in the newly opened Ugur Soleyman Suleymez Orphanage in Cotabato City on May 18-19, 2015.

According to Zaida Dimacisil, orphanage director, OSD is an annual activity by the Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH), a humanitarian foundation based in Turkey supporting the orphanage.

“It is actually among the services provided to the children under the program, aside from accommodation, education and monthly allowances for them at the orphanage,”Dimacisil said.

“And for our orphanage here at Bangsamoro, we are doing the same for the children,” Dimacisil added.

She also said that among the objective of the solidarity days are to build better relationship with the orphans, allow them to learn through exposures and recreation.

Outdoor activities provide children exposure of the world, help develop their physical skills and children learn to play together and cooperate.

The orphans joined by 17 visitors from Turkey went outdoor activities in Kusiong Beach in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao on the first day of this event.

Turkey visitors are members of the parliament of the Republic of Turkey, IHH officials, private donors supporting the foundation, family of Ugur Soleyman Suleymez, to whom the orphanage is named.

By the beach, children played various outdoor games like tug of war, boating and those that were introduced by Turkish visitors from their country.

Swimming at the beach was of course on top priority. Everyone filled their stomachs together by the foods served for the activity. Two cattle were slaughtered or prepared for this activity.

The second day of the solidarity days was spent at the resorts in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. The orphans and the Turkish visitors experienced the wonders of nature offered the said tourist destination of the South.

Lake Sebu is dubbed as Summer Capital of Southern Mindanao with its cool climate comparable to other well-known cold places in the country.

The team toured to one of the seven waterfalls in town, and to the lake known for its beauty and wealth and considered as one of the eco-tourism destinations in the municipality.

BDA and IHH has recently opened the orphanage center on May 16, 2015. The former manages the operation of the orphanage under its social welfare program. Current orphans are those that are earlier accommodated since the establishment of Ugur Soleyman Suleymez Orphanage in 2010.

“We have orphans already, but as we formalized and strengthened our operation, we are hoping to accommodate and support more orphans,” Dimacisil further said.

The orphanage management is currently accepting applicants and targets 1,000 children per year for sponsorship.