Slide 1 of 3
Who we are
Supporting studentsfar from home
The Help Desk Outreach Network is a student-focused charity providing food assistance, welfare support, and hope to students far from home.
Who we are
Why we exist
Many international students in Northern Cyprus are thousands of miles from home, juggling tuition, rent, and rising costs. When money runs short, food is often the first thing to go. The Help Desk Outreach Network steps in with monthly food assistance and a caring community, so no student has to study on an empty stomach.
- 01
Direct food support
Monthly food parcels and groceries, straight to students.
- 02
Real impact, shared openly
We post updates, photos, and student stories from the ground.
- 03
More than a meal
For students far from home, a community that has their back, with warmth, respect, and dignity.
We show up · We nourish · We stay
About us
Who we are
The Help Desk Outreach Network is a humanitarian initiative feeding international students across Northern Cyprus.
Each month we deliver food and welfare support to students facing hardship, so being far from home never means going without a meal.
Across nationalities and campuses, we've built a community rooted in dignity, compassion, and respect.
- We show up
- On campus every month, for the students who need it most.
- We nourish
- Real groceries and meals, not a one-off gesture.
- We stay
- Consistent support, month after month, never a one-time fix.
No student should go hungry.
How it works
One campus at a time
A simple, repeatable model: we focus on one campus each month, supporting the students who need it most.
You give
Make a secure crypto donation, or contact us to give another way.
We deliver
Each month we focus on one university, supporting 15 to 30 students with food parcels and groceries, then rotate so every campus gets its turn.
You see the impact
Follow updates, photos, and messages from the students you help.
What we do
How we support students
Four ways we show up for international students across Northern Cyprus.
Monthly food support
Each month we select a university in Northern Cyprus and provide food assistance to eligible students.
Student welfare support
We connect students with resources and support systems to help them navigate life far from home.
Community outreach
We work with student representatives and volunteers across campuses to find the students who genuinely need help.
Emergency assistance
Where possible, we provide urgent support for students facing sudden hardship.
Our impact
Showing up, month after month
Behind every number is a student who got the food they needed. Here's where things stand so far.
498+
Students reached
In just over a year, first funded entirely by our founder, now growing with your support.
- 1+
- Years of service
- 15–30
- Students supported each month
- 12
- Campuses in our rotation
Impact Stories
Voices of Gratitude
Honest words from those your support has reached, and a place to share your own.
“This initiative is a blessing to us in Northern Cyprus. May God continue to bless all the sponsors and the team behind this project”
“I never I thought I would find such beautiful souls, that doing such initiative and I’m so happy that stumbled upon the helpdesk page, it made me believe that whenever I’m in a hard ship helpdesk will come to the rescue, god bless helpdesk”
“The help desk has been of great help to me, and I’m so grateful for the privilege. Thank you for being a blessing in such a time as this, when students can’t even buy food for themselves, and for taking the time to be of great help to them. I'm forever grateful.”
Campus outreach
Campuses we reach
We run food outreach at universities across Northern Cyprus. Explore the campuses where we work, every donation goes to our shared food fund.
- 12
- Campuses reached
- 5
- Cities reached
Famagusta
1
NIG – Help Desk Outreach Network
Our care reaches beyond Cyprus
Through the Help Desk Outreach Network – NIG, we extend our work to vulnerable children and underserved communities across Nigeria, orphanage care, feeding, education, and clean water.
NIG – Help Desk Outreach Network
Gideon Ayoola Ken Akintola
Popularly known as Ken Gideon
Founder, The Help Desk Outreach Network
“No student should go hungry.”
Our story
How it all began
The Help Desk Outreach Network was born from a simple observation: many international students were struggling silently, skipping meals, worrying about expenses, and facing it alone.
Rather than looking away, The Help Desk Outreach Network was created to provide practical support and hope.
What began as a personally funded initiative has grown into a recognized student support platform reaching students across multiple universities in Northern Cyprus, and it continues to expand through food distribution, community outreach, and strategic partnerships.
Gideon is an entrepreneur, humanitarian, and technology professional who has lived and worked across Asia, Europe, and the Gulf. Having witnessed the hardships international students face firsthand, he founded The Help Desk Outreach Network to confront student food insecurity, and personally funded it through its early stages.
Partners
Our partners
We're grateful to the organisations and people who partner with us to keep students fed.
Ebru Törehan
Integrated Services LTD
Get involved
Ways to help
Whether you give, need support, or want to partner with us, there's a place for you.
We show up · We nourish · We stay
Help us keep students fed.
Your gift puts food in a student's hands this month. Give today.
Every gift goes straight to our shared food fund.