Turcom

These kids are under Darüşşafaka's custody

In order to better introduce Darüşşafaka, an organization that for 146 years have been changing the lives of orphan children, to our readers, we had a pleasant interview with Zekeriya Yıldırım, the Chairman of the Board of Darüşşafaka.

Can we learn more about the Darussafaka Foundation and Darussafaka Education Institutions?

Darüşşafaka Foundation has been embracing successful orphans who otherwise do not have the means for a quality education, since 1863. It provides them full scholarships, boarding and English education starting from the 4th grade until the end of high school. These successful students, who had lost their fathers, are joining the Darussafaka family at a very young age, and they are reintegrated to the society as intellectual young men and women. Darüşşafaka foundation is setting a good example as a foundation that lights the way for the future.

Our kids learn German or French as their second language after 6th grade. In addition to their education expenses, their clothing, accommodation, nutrition and health services are also compensated by Darüşşafaka Foundation. Those who get in to a college are given scholarships for four years until they complete their undergraduate education.

Darüşşafaka Education Institution is a school where approximately 850 students from 70 cities in Turkey study in English as boarders starting from the fourth grade until they finish high school. The school is situated in this modern campus in Maslak Istanbul, and what differentiates it from the other primary education institutions and high schools is that all of its students had lost their fathers at a very young age, and these talented children are fully sponsored by Darüşşafaka Foundation.

What kind of promotional activities does Darüşşafaka carry out?

Recently perhaps you have seen the "Hasan is in your hand", "Zeynep is in your hand" ads, and the commercial about the letter left from a dad who died. This campaign that has been widely viewed on the Internet is basically comprised of Darüşşafaka's advertisement and call for donations, an organization that finds fatherless and talented students for almost a century and a half, and help them become successful individuals to be reintegrated to the society that would make their fathers proud.

Zekeriya Yildirim, Darussafaka Chairman of the Board says, "As Darussafaka, we are a big family. Our sole goal is to prepare each and every new student that joins our family for the bright future of Turkey, following the path designated by Atatürk."

As Darüşşafaka Foundation, we compensate with the donations received not just the education expenses of your students, but also their clothing, accommodation, nutrition, and health services of them as well. While preparing these kids whom we took from their mothers for a bright future, the donations we receive from the society is our only resource. Therefore, every donation made to Darussafaka is an investment in education."

Darussafaka vicariously accepts sacrifice donations

Sacrificed animal donations to Darussafaka can be made as "slaughtered", or "not slaughtered" in order to financially support Darussafaka Education Institutions. The 2009 Sacrifice donation amount is determined as 290 TL, or 230 American Dollars, or 140 Euros for one Sacrificed animal. You can make your donations online on www.darussafaka.org.

Are promotions the only source of income for Darüşşafaka? Do you also get government subsidies?

The income sources of Darüşşafaka is comprised of donations it receive from charitable organizations and the public, rents and foundation incomes, valuables that were donated to Darüşşafaka by philanthropists through their wills, and incomes from its nursing homes, private health units, and physical therapy centers. In the recent years, there haven't been any subsidies, but the government has supported the foundation by tax exemptions.

Is Darüşşafaka investing on/following technology? What technological opportunities are you offering to your students?

In Darussafaka, there is 1 computer for each 6 students. There is one projector in each classrooms. Thanks to the Internet connection in the school building and student houses, students are taking advantage of their computers both at school and during their extracurricular times.

The school has clubs for the students who are interested in technology. Every day students at the Computer and Technology Club, Animation Club, Graphic Design Club and Web Design Club follow new technological developments and sometimes they work on their own innovations.

Do you have any activities abroad?

Darüşşafaka students are participating in the national and international information technologies contests with the projects they generate. Darüşşafaka became the second runner-up at the 2008 International Information Technologies Olympics, and the world champion at the 2009.

Furthermore, one of our teachers and a student won the Turkey championship at the e-IT contest organized by the T. R. Ministry of Education. In an effort to encourage students studying at other schools to use computers, Darüşşafaka has been organizing inter-school Animation Contest, and awarding the winners with awards.