On Children
It’s important to learn from children as you teach. Similar to women in Balat, children have a need for self-expression. Mavi Kalem gave a variety of lessons to kids for their improvement in school without discounting art and entertainment through workshops and festivals. In such programs Kadir Has University and the Fatih municipality have directly interacted.
1. Newspaper Project for Children, February – June 2009 :
This project took place with the co-operation of Bilgi University art students. These students worked together with a group of 11 children aged 10 to 14 living in Fener-Balat, to create newspapers from beginning to end. They were created with the support of Canon and Pınarbaşı Printing Company.
Three newspapers were created: one in April, one in May and one in June. Workshops were organised for the children, by Gökhan Tan, Ahmet Şık and Güventürk Görgülü regarding writing reports, the use of different news sources and footage, and so on. Photographer Mehmet Kaçmaz worked with them on his speciality. The children were taught how to take interviews and visited different places in and outside the area they live in, such as İstanbul Modern, the local synagogue, the fire department…..
The aim was not only to introduce these children into the world of the newspaper, but also to spread all kinds of information among the young population of the area.
2. Personal teaching programmes (October 2008 - …):
With the help of this programme, children from the area have the chance to be taught subjects they cannot take in school. Mavi Kalem has been offering guitar lessons, circus activities like ball games, and dance classes, art classes and sewing classes. These classes are currently given by our EVS volunteers. Children attending the courses are between 6 and 14 years of age. The courses usually take place during the weekends, but every day during the summer months, and this with the support of our volunteer instructors. The programme is supported as well by Mavi Kalem Association. Doing this, the children are offered a wide range of activities, which could help in their future study and activity choices and keeps their creativity alive.
3. “The World through the Eyes of Children” Photography Project.
30 children from Fener-Balat, with the help of trained volunteers, were given the opportunity to photograph their homes, streets, friends, schools and teachers from their own unique perspective. Selected pictures were exhibited at the end of the project.
4. Support the Education of Children Programme (2002 -…):
Our programme for supporting the education of children has been going on for seven years. Mavi Kalem organises courses on English, Turkish (reading and writing), mathematics, internet and the use of computers, drawing and so on. These classes are currently mostly given by our EVS volunteers. Children attending the courses are between 6 and 14 years of age. The courses usually take place at the weekends, but every day during the summer months, and this with the support of our volunteer instructors. The programme is supported by Mavi Kalem Association.
5. Internet Room for Children – January 2007:
On demand of the children with whom we worked with in Fener-Balat, and on the experiences with the children we worked with in Mavi Kalem, the internet room project was created. The project that we started on January 2007 still continues at the class in the association’s building. The usage hours of the internet room is arranged by considering the children’s time of going to and returning from school. The participating children to the project are primary school students who live around Fener-Balat district. Our project is supported by International Women of Istanbul. Children can access the internet every day, 4 hours per day.