The Foundation supports two schools in Turkey, both located in the Central Anatolia region of the country, between the cities of Konya and Nevsehir. This dry, flat area in the center of Turkey is about 150 miles south of the capital city, Ankara.
Our Impact
Among the major infrastructure projects Gate 1 Foundation has funded in Turkey are central heating systems, new or renovated toilets, and complete dining facilities that include kitchens and seating areas, as well as the furniture – tables and chairs – to make the spaces usable for school students. The impact on the lives of students attending Foundation-supported schools has been profound. For example, prior to the installation of the central heating system at Sehit Murat Primary School, heating was achieved through the use of old fashioned coal-burning stoves. Teachers, sometimes with the help of students, had to interrupt their lessons every one or two hours to go out to the garden to fetch coal and carry it into the classroom to fire the stove. This affected the focus and concentration of both students and teachers, and consequently, had a negative effect on the learning environment. In addition, the stoves heated only the classrooms, leaving the rest of the building very cold, which meant that students also had to eat in their classrooms. The building of the dining room, combined with the central heating system that heated the entire school building, made for more comfortable conditions, and thus a more optimal atmosphere in which to teach and to learn.
About
The families of the region in Turkey where the Foundation schools are located, do not, for the most part, have a reliable source of regular income. The work available is mainly seasonal, on farms, or producing and selling dairy products in small quantities. The nature of the work is such that when available, it can often be in other cities, taking parents away from the home for extended periods of time. This creates circumstances in which absentee parents are unable to give sufficient attention to their children and their educational needs. This is compounded, in some cases, by low levels of educational attainment, making parents incapable of assisting their children with school work. The precarious financial status of local families, combined with very limited school budgets, make the purchase of educational tools and equipment difficult, if not impossible.
Cavus School
At CAVUS SCHOOL, the Foundation provided funding for these infrastructure improvement projects:
- Toilets
- Heating System
Sehit Murat Yumusak School
At SEHIT MURAT YUMUSAK SCHOOL, large structural improvements include:
- Central Heating System
- Renovation of Toilets in Main Building
- Dining Facility with Small Kitchen and Toilets
The Foundation also contributed tables and chairs for use in the dining facility. The addition of the heating system replaced old fashioned coal-burning stoves, which freed teachers and students from having to interrupt lessons to cart and load coal.
Gifts to Bring if You’re Visiting
School Supplies of All Kinds, Used functional technology such as tablets (with needed charging cables), In Winter Months: Warm Clothing, Shoes, Sneakers
