Turkish Airlines and Fye Network (FyeN), a women-led Gambian creative media company, have announced a partnership that links aviation, storytelling and cultural exchange. The collaboration centers on FyeN’s flagship children’s animated series Bakary on Safari and includes sponsorship for a Fye Network representative to attend Istanbul’s Boğaziçi Film Festival in November 2026.
As the only airline operating nonstop flights between Istanbul and Banjul, Turkish Airlines already serves as The Gambia’s primary gateway to the world. The new agreement aims to transform that route into a platform for promoting Gambian culture, wildlife and tourism through original African narratives designed for international audiences.
Bakary on Safari, produced by FyeN Studios, follows a young explorer named Bakary as he travels through Africa’s national parks. The series introduces children to the continent’s wildlife, geography and cultures with stories rooted in authenticity. Season one is scheduled to premiere in early 2027 and will feature destinations including Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Namibia, Senegal, Nigeria and The Gambia.
Turkish Airlines will sponsor a Fye Network team member’s attendance at the Boğaziçi Film Festival, held in Istanbul from 8 to 15 November 2026. The event is one of Türkiye’s leading international film festivals and is expected to open doors to filmmakers, distributors and broadcasters worldwide.
Fye Network, founded by sisters YaAdam and Anna Fye, specializes in books, animation and educational media that amplify authentic African voices. Its creative division develops original intellectual property celebrating Africa’s cultures, history and future. While the partnership announcement itself used AI-generated content, the company stressed that Bakary on Safari is a traditionally animated series created through a human-led process.
Both organizations describe the partnership as more than a marketing campaign. They see it as a step toward building original Gambian intellectual property with global reach and strengthening ties between The Gambia and Türkiye in film, media and tourism.
Turkish Airlines holds a Guinness World Record for flying to more countries than any other airline and continues to promote tourism and cultural exchange through its extensive network. Fye Network invites sponsors, educators, creatives, and organizations to join its mission to empower the next generation of African storytellers.
For more information, visit www.fyenetwork.com or contact hello@fyenetwork.com.
