Projects for Children

ÇYDD has started in 1992 its Children’s Club to organize activities to further the education and development of children in elementary schools. The program commenced with 2000 children registered in Istanbul branches and soon was widened to other branches. Childrens’ units in the branches are set up to help the individual, social and cultural development of children, to create environments to bring out their talent and improve their skills and help them to become questioning and conscious citizens.

Türkan Saylan Children festivities:

The festivities, 6th of which took place in İstanbul in 2014 is sponsored by Can and Günışığı Publishing Houses. The festivities attended by about 1200 children every year last 2 days.

Children Books Week:

The aim of the week is to get children adopt reading habits and various activities are organized during the week.

To create awareness of environment, culture and history:

Various activities are organized to help our children become citizens who will conserve our historical and cultural heritage, who know about their history and who are conscious of their environment.

World Theater Day activities:

Every year children perform short plays, chat with artists about drama and go to theater all together on the World Theater Day.

New Year Festivities:

Fun activities for children are organized for the new year and children are given small presents.

Short Story and Painting Competitions

Short story and painting competitions open to all our branches are organized every year. The subject for 2014 competition was “Ode to Trees” and children participated with 157 paintings and 58 short stories.

Children’s Rights Activities:

To create awareness about children’s rights, meetings and chats with consultants are organized and children learn about their rights discussing with these specialists. ÇYDD is represented on NGO platforms that work on children’s right and on prevention of child abuse and violence.

From Production Back to Education Project:

This Project aims to send back to school child laborers from low income families who have started work instead of going to school. With this Project 50 child laborers received special personal development and educational support and were sent back to school and also to sports and art centers until 16 years of age.

Museum visits

About 5000 children benefited from the “ÇYDD - İstanbul Modern Art Museum Education Program” so far; children were escorted by ÇYDD Chidren’s Club volunteers on the informative tours of the museum.

Similar museum programs also commenced in İzmir and Ankara.

Summer activities:

Our branches which have the facilities prepare summer programs for children where they learn while playing with volunteer trainers. Summer activities take place in branches and in cultural centers; about 150-200 children benefit from each cultural center every summer.

Robot Project:

A team was formed with the sponsorship of Neotech in ÇYDD Dila Kurt Cultural Center to popularize science and technology with children. This team got the “Rising star” award with their project and robot called “Prophet of Doom” in the 2014 competition “Science Heroes Get Together/ FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) Turkey İstanbul Robot Tournaments.