Our Other Projects
1. Health Support Project
In Hızır Çavuş district of Balat, in the Health Support Project made together with the Fatih Municipality, Mavi Kalem brought a health caravan. 5 days per week basic laboratory tests, general medical examination and gynaecologic examinations were made.
2. First Aid Education:
12 participants of ages 16-20 attended to this project made at summer of 2004. A sixteen-day educational programme was presented to participants on first aid and on aid at natural disaster conditions subjects.
3. Sphere Handbook, Humanitarian charter and minimum standards in disaster response: Translation, adaptation information and training project
The Sphere Project was launched in 1997 by a group of humanitarian NGOs and the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement. Sphere is based on two core beliefs: first, that all possible steps should be taken to alleviate human suffering arising out of calamity and conflict, and second, that those affected by disaster have a right to life with dignity and therefore a right to assistance. Sphere is three things: a handbook, a broad process of collaboration and an expression of commitment to quality and accountability. The project has developed several tools, the key one being the handbook.
In 2001, 4 civil society associations gathered for a Translation, Adaptation and Education Project concerning this topic. Mavi Kalem was one of them. The distribution of this book in Turkey was undertaken by the Ministry of Health.
Mavi Kalem and the other associations finished the Project in 2009.
The Sphere Handbook is being used in different layers of crisis management in many countries all over the world: water, sanitary and hygiene issues, food security, emergency settlement security and so on.
4. European Voluntary Service
In co-operation with the European Union, we both send and host volunteers (aged 18-30) from all over Europe, who want a voluntary experience abroad. The volunteer can work for a short period (2-8 weeks) or a long period (2-12 months). Until now, Mavi Kalem has hosted EVS 10 volunteers for a long period. They create their own activities with the children and women coming to Mavi Kalem. They are provided with Turkish classes and a mentor who helps them along the way.
Right now, there are 4 EVS volunteers, who e.g. give English classes, computer classes, drawing classes and dance classes. The volunteers get pocket Money, are provided a place to live and are fully ensured.
Mavi Kalem is a sending organisation as well, which means it functions as an organisation that supports Turkish volunteers going abroad. It also serves as a coordinating organisation, which means it can act as a coordinator between a sending and a host organisation.
For more information:
http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_en.cfm
And:
seda@mavikalem.org or mavikalem@mavikalem.org