The rest have to work and live on the streets in deplorable conditions, facing constant danger from the adult world. This is why a group of volunteers founded a group in 1979 called the Turkish Foundation for Children in Need of Protection (TKMÇV) to provide shelter, education and positive physical and emotional development and to raise homeless children in the security and loving atmosphere of a family environment.
In addition to the shockingly low number of facilities to embrace Turkey’s children, it is hard to argue that most of Turkey’s orphanages, a majority of which are run by the Social Services and Child Protection Agency (SHÇEK), provide even the minimum conditions necessary to raise a healthy, happy and well-adjusted child. Although authorities have been increasingly attentive towards problems in state homes for children and their focus has greatly improved the situation, there have been serious allegations and scandals of physical and sexual abuse in the past in some of these homes.
The TKMÇV was given consulting member status by the UN Economic and Social Council due to its work and efforts in the field of children in need of protection. The TKMÇV, since 1988, has applied the children’s village model of SOS Kinderdorf International (SOS KDI) better known in English as SOS Children’s International, an international non-profit organization engaged in the field of children’s rights. Founded in 1949, SOS KDI has homes in 132 countries around the world that offer accommodation to children without parental care and children of families in difficult circumstances.
In addition to the low number of facilities to embrace Turkey’s children, it is hard to argue that most of Turkey’s orphanages provide even the minimum conditions necessary to raise a healthy, happy and well-adjusted child.
Turkey’s first children’s village in İstanbul’s Bolluca district was founded in 1992. The village was constructed with donations from SOS KDI. It started functioning with the support of the TKMÇV’s founders, philanthropists and various other parties including civil society groups and businesses.
The village has 11 family homes, with seven children on average in each of them. There are also four “youth houses” -- two being outside the village -- for older teenagers. The SHÇEK assigns a director for the village.
“In our system, what matters most is that the children live in a family environment, and not as orphans,” says Pınar Aran, the executive director of the TKMÇV. He continues, “They have to feel what a family is. In every house we have seven children on average plus one ‘mother’ and ‘helping aunt,’ who are both paid. So when the children come home from school, they find a mother and an aunt. They come home, sit down and have meals together as a family.”
Aran notes that children, who come to these homes from the SHÇEK at the age of 3 or 4 grow up as siblings. “You will see that the older ones tend to and protect the younger children.”
To explain what makes the foundation’s home really different, Aran shares the story of a recent visit to the village: “About three weeks ago, two sisters came in. The older one is about seven, the younger one is four. They recently lost their family. When I arrived, the older sister, scared of her new home, me and everything else, did not smile once. When I was there last weekend, I saw a completely different child. She ran towards me, greeted me with a smile and kissed me. She was running around and playing happily with all the other kids.”
When these children reach puberty at age 12 or 13, they move to youth houses. “But they frequently come to their initial home, visiting their first families and mothers,” Aran says. At eighteen years, boys move to a youth house outside the village. Around this age, they are considered “semi-independent.” “Our girls usually get married by this age. And we are required to find a public job for the boys. Most of the time, they find their jobs on their own,” Aran explains. More than half of the children are admitted to university, he notes.
In Bolluca there are currently 116 children. The youngest one is 10 while the oldest one is 23 years old. Fifty-eight of these children are currently in nursery or elementary school, while 23 are in high school.
The Bolluca village also has 54 scouts, 33 of them certified, all active members of the Falcons Troop of Mixed Scouts under the regional Youth and Sports Directorate. The children also enjoy other activities organized voluntarily by various agencies such as chess classes and visits to the opera or to concerts. There are accomplished folk dancers, musicians and soccer players among the children.
Foundation awaits legislative change
Aran says they get donations from all segments of society, and also from overseas. The famous singer Christina Aguilera appeared on Oct. 19 on the Turkish version of “Deal or No Deal” in İstanbul on behalf of the TKMÇV. But the foundation is still eagerly waiting for an amendment to be made to Article 4 of Law No: 2828, which concerns social services and child protection. When the long-awaited amendment is passed, Aran says, the state will have to meet 50 percent of the foundation’s expenses in managing the children’s village.
Contributing and visits
The TKMÇV is open to donations of various amounts, including monthly regular contributions of YTL 50. Interested individuals are welcome to see the Bolluca village and meet the children.
Visits can be arranged by contacting the TKMÇV:
Tel: 0212-274 95 45
E-mail: merkez@cocukkoyleri.org.
The foundation’s official Web site can be found at www.cocukkoyleri.org. The site also has an English version.
