Istek Acıbadem Students Volunteer at Hasan Tan Çocuk Yuvası (orphanage)
Istek Acıbadem Students Volunteer at Hasan Tan Çocuk Yuvası (orphanage)
By Lidija Krekman
A real buzz has been created at Istek Acibadem School amongst staff and students who volunteer weekly to provide free English lessons to grade 4 and 5 students at Hasan Tan Çocuk Yuvası (orphanage).
According to Arzu Altuntas, Head of the Foreign Languages Department at Istek Acibadem, as well as project initiator, and manager: “We are delighted with the enthusiastic and generous students who are volunteering their time and skills, as part of a unique opportunity to serve humanity. By helping those destined with a less fortunate fate, they have made this project a resounding success. Moreso, a huge note of gratitude and praise has been earned by our diligent grade four and five students who have demonstrated that you are never too young to show you care.”
While Istek Acibadem High School students deliver the lessons under the attentive eye of their English teachers, the elementary grade students have been responsible for creating the yearly plan, providing materials for the lessons, and happily lending their own textbooks. This experience has awakened these youngsters to the notion that volunteering meets genuine needs in their community. They are being groomed, at an early age, to be active, foster high moral standards, and adapt characteristics which are pivotal to a positive, hopefully lifelong attitude of giving.
While these student role models clearly make Istek proud, the true champions are those young people who so warmly welcome these volunteers with their precious smiles. In the classroom, they demonstrate their eagerness by absorbing every word during the lessons taught with immense fervor, creating conditions teachers refer to as a work haven. All of these little angels are representatives of the extraordinary, leaving all who work with them humbled, and inspired. They have shown that sometimes those with nothing at all, are truly the richest of us, who have the most to offer.
By being driven and passionate about volunteering, Istek students have had an opportunity to provide love and care for these children. Immersing themselves in this rewarding experience has created unforgettable memories and proof that benefits of such actions are endless.
We hope that the opportunity to learn a foreign language will serve as a booster of self sufficiency and future happiness, which will ultimately span a web of enthusiasts, eager to continue with social responsibility programs. As for our little friends at Hasan Tan Çocuk Yuvası (orphanage), we can say that in our eyes they do not belong to everyone and no one, they belong to Istek. They’ve carved their place into our hearts and have become a perpetual part of our community.
We can make a positive difference in life of orphanage children who needs help and support by volunteering our time!