HIKING FOR A CAUSE
On March 1, 2023, I embarked on a thru-hike of the Sultans Trail, walking over 2,400km.
For every kilometer that I complete, a certain amount will be donated towards local non-profit organizations dedicated to providing relief to those affected by earthquakes.
Support 5 projects
2.400 km from Vienna to Turkiye for a good cause
On my way to Istanbul I will be walking through 8 countries, lots of cities, and towns, stopping at community centers and local businesses to raise awareness and donations
for the earthquake victims.
On February 6th, 2023 two major earthquakes hit Southern Turkiye and Syria which led to the destruction of whole cities and numerous deaths. The donations go 100% to 5 different local NGOs to help those in need affected by the earthquake.
The Sultan's Trail
The trail is named after Suleiman the Magnificent, a 16th-century Ottoman Sultan who journeyed from Istanbul to Vienna during the height of the Ottoman Empire. In contrast to its past, the Trail is now dedicated to peace and international understanding. It starts on the Kahlenberg in Vienna and ends at the Sultan's tomb in Istanbul (Süleymaniye Mosque).
Austria - Slovakia - Hungary - Croatia - Serbia - Bulgaria - Greece - Turkiye
Join the Community Project
📱 Every donor will be part of our community with live updates
and detailed route plans in a private Telegram channel.
💲Together we will decide how the donations will be used.
➡️ The donations will be distributed every 500km to ensure that the funds
are being used effectively and efficiently as I continue my journey toward Istanbul
🏨 100% of the donations go to 5 charitable projects
for earthquake victims to support:
Homing – Education – Children – Animals – Small Businesses
⬇️ Donate now and join the Telegram group!
1. Donate any amount
with the help of the donation form. Select the amount, fill out your name and email, chose payment option. DONE :)
2. Get personal updates in the Telegram channel!
You will receive a link after donating via email to join the private Telegram channel where I will post live updates about the hike.
3. Receive updates about the funds
I will share updates about the donations and how they can be distributed to local charities. The funds will go to the most trusted non-profit organizations in Turkiye to support Homing, Education, Children, Animals and Small Businesses.
Who receives the donations?
All donations go 100% to local non-profit organizations that work on the ground to provide help to those affected by the earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria.
Continuity of Earthquake aid has not lost its importance as it will be even more important in the coming weeks and months.
About Millions of people affected
The scale of the challenges that the Turkish people are going through on a daily basis is far greater than what can be portrayed through television reports and social media posts. The destruction caused by the earthquakes is unimaginable and the process of recovery is likely to take several years. The death toll in Turkey stands at >40,000 from the quake while neighboring Syria has reported more than 5,800 deaths.
DISTRIBUTION EVERY 500KM
The donations will be distributed every 500km to ensure that the funds are being used effectively and efficiently as I continue my journey towards Istanbul. This strategy allows the support of multiple NGOs and spread the donations across a variety of organizations.
If you have the possibility, please consider becoming a donor. 1 Dollar might not sound a lot, but small numbers add up and together have a huge impact in peoples lives. Your donation counts.
WHY I CARE
Turkiye has become my home away from home. It’s been 5 years since I moved to Turkiye and from the moment I arrived, I was welcomed with open arms by my new neighbors, coworkers, and friends.
Living in Turkiye has allowed me to experience a level of kindness and generosity that I never knew existed. I have been fortunate enough to meet people who have become dear friends and who have made a significant impact on my life.
I believe that small actions can make a big difference, and together we can help those affected by the disaster. I care because the people truly don’t deserve this.
FAQ
The Sultans Trail stretches over 2.400km of hiking divided into 120 stages of approximately 20-30km each. With that being said, it is a very long hike and it will take approximately 5 months to complete the whole route. The donations will be distributed to NGOs after completing 500km. Continuity of Earthquake aid has not lost its importance but it will be even more important in the coming weeks and months.
After every 500km of the trail I will distribute the donations to a charitable project that supports earthquake victims. The hike is around 2.400km which means that 5 different NGOs will benefit from this project and your donations will support a variety of organizations! The donations will go to 5 different types of projects:
- Reconstruction, Homing and Shelters
- Schools and Education
- Help for Children
- Animal Care and Veterinarian Support
- Help for Small Businesses
There are numerous NGOs in Turkiye and Syria that support these causes. As this is a community project, the charities will be chosen via polls in the Telegram chat.
After donating every donor gets an email invitation link to the Telegram group that is dedicated to this project. The Telegram group is not a chat group but rather an announcement channel where I will post live updates about the trail progress and detailed routes and information. The members are private and other members won’t be able to see any personal information like phone numbers or names.
Unfortunately no. The Telegram group is for donors only.
You can donate by filling out the donation form on this website or here.