About six times a week, unaccompanied refugee minors from a boys dormitory and volunteers from Istanbul&I gather to partake in educational and social programs. Activities range from English and Turkish language exchange, to football, art classes, and social programs such as sightseeing trips. The activities provide the boys a chance to learn, develop skills, and connect with each other and the city. The boys are ambitious, hard-working and deeply hilarious, often leaving volunteers feeling like they also benefit from these projects.
Though the project started recently, in September 2017, volunteers from Istanbul&I and the boys built connections that will last a long time. Turkish Language Coordinator Ayça noted that since starting the project, “I feel that I also learn so much from them. These boys have gone through such hardships but they come to class with shiny eyes, ready to learn.”
Finding a home in Istanbul
For some of the boys, these programs represent the only time during the week for more structured learning opportunities. The minors are boys aged 15-17 years who came to Istanbul without a legal guardian, placing them under the care of the Turkish government. About 60 refugee boys live in the state-run centre in Kadıköy. Most of them left their home countries due to religious, cultural, or ethnic persecution. Some have also faced domestic violence. The majority of them are Afghani and Iranian, while others are from Syria and from the countries in West Africa. Some of the boys are working casually and about 12 out of the 60 youth are enrolled in school. However, due to their status they are not legally allowed to work in Turkey. Some are also without the appropriate paperwork to enroll in schools despite their eligibility.
When they turn 18 years old, they must leave the dormitory and resettle in another city in Turkey. This tumultuous transition from an already difficult life has inspired Istanbul&I to get involved. The programs not only enrich their current lives, but help develop skills and inspiration for their futures. English Language Coordinator, Arya, notes that ”they possess the potential to achieve anything they desire. Though the universe had dealt them such a terrible hand that I was saddened as well as angered to see them struggle with things that most kids their age take for granted, they are still smart, motivated and hard-working kids. As much as I hope our project has benefited the boys, I know they have benefited us tenfold. For me, personally, they have restored so much of my faith in humanity.”
Istanbul&I provides support to an underserved demographic
One of the Turkish conversation volunteers, Derya, confirmed their motivation. “The first day I took part in this project I could not believe my eyes. I had 15 children in front of me trying to follow every word that came from my mouth to learn as much as possible.” When she discussed their dedication to learning, she used the Turkish expression ”can kulağı ile dinlemek’’, directly translating to “listening with the soul’s ear”. “They were listening so carefully because they knew in order to cling to life in Turkey they have no alternative.”
Project founder Louise first wanted Istanbul&I to work with the dormitory because it was an opportunity to support youth from one of the most ignored demographics. With an international eye on the war in Syria, refugees from other places such as Iran and Afghanistan are often underserved both in Turkey and abroad. Additionally, very few organizations specifically work to support teenage boys. This is a way for Istanbul&I, as a small NGO, to make a larger impact with its limited resources.
Istanbul&I partners with various organizations around Istanbul to facilitate volunteer programs, and also hosts its own community building and language exchange events. The Unaccompanied Minors Dormitory project is fueled by a team of committed members dedicated to supporting the boys. As Turkish conversation facilitator, Reha, notes, “Nurturing a person resembles nurturing a tree. Just like a newly planted tree, you should care for the newly learning kids too; with more devotion.”
“Like everyone else, they want to challenge and discover themselves.”
The program started in August 2017 with three weekly English language meetups in cafes around Kadıköy. Arya wanted to start with English first as a way for the boys to gain access to the vast English language resources online. After a few weeks of games and getting to know each other, Istanbul&I realized the need for more programs. They soon started the Turkish program followed by football, art workshops, and social programs like visiting new areas of Istanbul.
Throughout every program, the boys are conscientious, engaged and always thinking about the future and ways they can contribute to the society. Discussions of the news, history, music, poetry and jokes pepper the language exchanges. Cultural exchange also occurs while the boys share stories from their home or teach the facilitators a few words in their native languages.
One of the English language facilitators, Nermine, says ”Working with these boys makes even more sense than getting paid to teach in a public school, where everyone has access to everything. These boys are at an age where they have a lot of curiosity and energy to learn and grow. Like everyone else, they want to challenge and discover themselves.”
How you can help
In order to continue to provide necessary language skills and personal development opportunities, Istanbul&I has created a fundraising campaign. Any donation amount counts. Only 38 TL (10 USD) is enough to provide a classroom for one of the language exchange sessions. A larger donation of 1000 TL (250 USD) supports a boy’s resettlement process from the dormitory to their placement city.
To learn more about Istanbul&I and how to get involved, please see their website and follow them on Facebook.
Photo courtesy of Istanbul&I.
