Çağdaş Yaşamı Destekleme Derneği (ÇYDD-Association for supporting Contemporary Living) President Aysel Çelikel, when talking about the SÖZCÜ campaign, explained that with this donation plan a very important step has been taken.

This campaign will help our girls with their education

Çağdaş Yaşamı Destekleme Derneği (ÇYDD-Association for supporting Contemporary Living) President   Aysel Çelikel, when talking about the SÖZCÜ campaign, explained that with this donation plan a very important step has been taken.  She said, “We are going to write about this campaign into the history of our association with golden letters and with the donations we receive we are going to help educate one of our girls.”

That SÖZCÜ will donate 15\% of its revenue from death notices and obituaries to the associations and foundations of the notice submitters’ choice, is a major news event that has been received well. The decision made by SÖZCÜ to donate to ÇYDD will create a precedent. 

All associations and foundations embraced by the public have pointed to this campaign as an example of what should be done.  ÇYDD President Prof. Dr. Aysel Çelikel once again underlined the fact that the SÖZCÜ campaign is a first and that such donations help educate girls.

Çelikel explained that 2 years ago ÇYDD received the three star perfection qualification from Kalite Derneği (Quality Association).  She said, “We found out that in principle such rewards are given to companies.  They told us they were rarely relevant for civil society organizations, but we applied anyway.  We did this to protect ourselves from political misdeeds.  In 2009 we were hit hard.  Our branches were raided.  We had to deal with lawsuits for 5 years but at the end it came to light that everything was a frame-up.  We’ve now succeeded to become an institution.  Our next goal is to bring all of our branches to an equal standing and to work more effectively on the projects at hand.”

WE ARE SPREADING ATATÜRK'S LIGHT TO OUR SOCIETY

When we knocked on President Çelikel’s door we found her in the midst of the flurry and excitement of the preparations for May 19th Türkan Saylan Science and Art Awards Ceremony.  Çelikel was among the founding members 29 years ago, and after Türkan Saylan passed she became the president, the position which she has held for 9 years now.   ÇYDD has helped send thousands of girls to school and with scholarships and education opportunities, the association has helped thousands of university students prepare for the future.  Aysel Çelikel spoke to SÖZCÜ about the last 29 year’s accomplishments of the association.

You recently celebrated the 29th anniversary of the foundation of your association.  Now, there is another frantic preparation going on.

When Türkan Saylan passed we knew that the best way to remember her would be to present science and art awards in her name.  This year we gave the 8th science and art awards.  We also organized our 9th remembrance ceremony. Our 29 year old projects are continuing.   When people think of ÇYDD, they only think of our scholarships. But we have many other educational programs.  In 29 years we have reached close to 104,000 students.  Students receive the scholarships throughout their school years.

Do only girls receive the scholarships?

We give our university scholarships to both girls and boys.  At the elementary and high school levels we only help with girls’ education.

How many students per year receive scholarships?

This year we gave 13,000 scholarships.  This number includes the ongoing scholarships.  In the last 2 years the applications for a scholarship have been made over the internet.  We concentrate on providing scholarships to students in schools where we have our branches.  The applicants are interviewed at our branches.

Every organization we speak with indicates that scholarships for education are in high demand.  How will it be possible to reach all the students in need?

This is why SÖZCÜ’s project is so important.  You are giving us a share of your revenue from death notices and obituaries.  What joy this gives us.  This is important not only from a monetary point but also for bringing people and our association together.  We receive our donations more from individuals than from corporations.  Even though small, these donations will add up to educate a girl.  SÖZCÜ started this campaign and I believe, the first notice submitter to the paper asked for ÇYDD to receive the donation.  This is an unforgettable event.  This will be recorded in our association’s history with golden letters.

CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC ENDORSMENT

What other projects do you carry out?

Together with Türkan Hanım, we worked on projects like female student residences, village schools, libraries and various other activities. Since I became president 9 years ago, we developed additional projects.  The foremost project has been our education centers.  We provide education for children, youth and if they wish, women, to develop themselves socially.  What we deliver is cultural and artistic education.  We don’t teach the usual subjects.  Painting, music, theater, ballet, folklore are some of the cultural subjects we present. For this purpose, we have two programs titled ‘Kadınlarla El Ele and Gençlerle El Ele’ “Hand in Hand with Women and Hand in Hand with Youth.”  There is the ‘Deniz Yıldızı’”Starfish” project where young people who attend learn how to think well and how to communicate.  There is the mentoring project because earning a diploma is not enough sometimes to find the right job.  We have children’s clubs, youth and environment departments.  We are widening the horizons of young people.  We have 110 branches all over Turkey.

TEACHERS ARE OUR BIGGEST BENEFACTORS

You mentioned that you receive more donations from individuals than corporations.  Is there a drop in donations?

When we first started, we were receiving donations from institutions.  We had big projects such as ‘Baba Beni Okula Gönder' “Daddy Send me to School” and ‘Kardelenler’ “Snowdrops”.  However, we don’t receive donations from such institutions any more.  There are other institutions that donate but our most important revenue comes from personal donations and wills.  There are over one hundred wills.  In general, these are bequests by teachers.  They have educated us and are continuing to support us.  We have no income problem.  The nation backs us.  This is why I always say that, ÇYDD is now a part of our society and we stand with its help.  We will live on and spread Atatürk's light to every corner of our nation.

Despite passing through difficult times, ÇYDD never lost the trust of people.  How did you accomplish this?

I explain this by our never having faltered from our respectable and trustworthy path.  We are fighting to protect, develop and renew Atatürk Republic’s gains and beautiful values which became a part of our society.  We are bringing up youth that follow  in Atatürk’s footsteps. 

WHAT DID ÇYDD BRING ABOUT IN 29 YEARS?

-We gave scholarships to 68,400 girls at elementary and middle school levels and 34,150 university students.

-We created 769 kindergarten classes and 565 play grounds.

-We opened 21 education and culture centers.

-We built 2 high schools, 17 classrooms, 6 kindergartens, 24 village elementary schools, 32 village schools, 36 student residence buildings, 1 university and handed them over to the state.

-We established full libraries in 30 schools.  With our book collections more than 5 million books reached people in need of books.

THERE ARE 21 EDUCATION CENTERS

One project that has been continuing since 2011 is to reach in particular our citizens in areas that have received immigrants and areas that are deprived economically; to strengthen the social development of children, youth and women.  All over Turkey we have 21 Education Centers.  In addition to these centers we have a mentoring project that prepares university students for the work force.  Our children’s clubs help elementary school children.