Kirkcaldy mum heads to Mecca to help Gazan orphans’ dreams come true

A Kirkcaldy mum of four is about to embark on the journey of a lifetime to accompany a group of orphans from Jordan on a voluntary pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah) in the heart of Saudi Arabia.

Anna Kocaoglu is being part-sponsored by Yasiman Enterprise, a Fife-based community interest company, to chaperone nearly 90 displaced children from Gaza and Syria with other volunteers from across Europe as part of a unique deployment organised by the World Care Foundation (WCF).

The trip, which is WCF’s largest deployment of children to date and part of a campaign dubbed ‘Umrah 4 Orphans’, is also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the 88 children – something they thought they would never see – after losing their families to conflict across the Levant.

Thanks to the WCF and organisations like Yasiman, hundreds of vulnerable children are being gifted this life-changing Islamic spiritual journey with a chance to stand before the Ka’bah, experience the blessings of Umrah and create memories to last a lifetime, while restoring hope in their hearts.

Anna, who is a volunteer with Yasiman, which carries out community projects across Scotland, including in Scottish prisons, is set to fly out to Jordan on 19 October to meet with the orphans before taking them onwards to Mecca, which is considered the Holy Land for Muslims.

She will also be helping to deliver emergency food packs, emergency cash for widows and struggling families, urgent medical relief, cooked meals, and gifts and essentials for the children.

Part-sponsoring the trip herself, Anna (pictured) said:

“It’s truly an honour to be granted this opportunity to help shape disadvantaged children’s lives.”

Yasiman founder Mohammed Ishfaq, who is a former civil servant and Scottish Prison Service chaplain, added:

“Yasiman’s mission to make these opportunities open to everyone, regardless of race, religion or background. We are invested in people, both young and old, who represent our communities in Scotland and beyond.”

The children will visit the Holy City of Medinah before travelling onwards to experience the wonder of the Ka’bah (or Kaaba) – a cube-shaped stone building at the centre of the Masjid al-Haram mosque in Mecca – for the first and perhaps only time.

The Ka’bah is considered the Holiest site in Islam and a central point of unity.

To donate to help make a displaced child’s dream come true or help support the delivery of life’s essentials, go to: https://wcfdonate.org/campaigns/joannahjordan2026