Foundation Helps the Disabled in Bodrum

A foundation established 13 years ago by volunteers in the popular resort town of Bodrum has created a source of 4 million Turkish Liras for the education of the disabled in the region.
Bodrum Health Foundation, or BSV, was established in 1996 with 36 members and has considered its first priority providing care for disabled children. For this purpose, in 2002, Begonvil Education and Rehabilitation Center was built on the 10,000 square meters of land provided by Turgutreis Municipality.

Speaking at a dinner party organized to mark the 13th anniversary of the foundation's establishment, foundation president Ahmet Biçer said over 140 disabled people have been educated with the financial support of 4 million liras. "Close your eyes for 30 seconds and imagine yourself or one of the people you know is disabled," Biçer told an audience of 400 guests, including 50 foreigners living in Bodrum.

"The founders of this foundation set out with this philosophy and created a chance of high-standard education and rehabilitation for 140 disabled people. These people, who created this organization without expecting anything in return but the happiness of the children, are the real heroes of Bodrum."

Biçer said the foundation hopes to complete a new workshop for the disabled next year with an estimated investment of 450,000 Turkish Liras.

According to the information on the foundation's Web site, Begonvil Special Education and Rehabilitation Center for Disabled Children provides trainable mentally impaired children, autistic children and those with physical disabilities in the 0-18 age group with one-on-one and group education. The center has professional training rooms, a library, a lounge, a kitchen and a dining hall.

The interior of the center has been designed to provide disabled individuals with safe and easy mobility. In the garden of the center, there is an agricultural rehabilitation area, a playground, swimming pool and Jacuzzi. Presently, 90 physically and mentally disabled individuals are provided with service at the rehabilitation center.

One-on-one education is given in five main fields: physical development, self-care skills, mental development, emotional and social development, and language development.
Fields defined in accordance with the child's needs are supported with group education. The children who have completed their basic development can start academic education, receive training for independent living, and attend vocational education workshops. During the workshops the children's manual skills are developed by making galoshes, ceramics, accessories and souvenirs.

The aim of these endeavors is to support the disabled children's personal and social life skills so as to increase their self-confidence and motivation and to enable them to become independent, self-contained individuals with an improved sense of self-worth.

Because education and rehabilitation cannot be solely indoor activities, picnics, excursions, trekking and activities in the sea are considered to be crucial endeavors that foster harmony between disabled individuals and society. Therefore, the rehabilitation center organizes many outdoor activities that children can attend together with their parents.

Television and radio programs are prepared and panel discussions are held to inform the public and to raise awareness. The newspaper of the foundation, Gökkuşağı (The Rainbow) is published every two months and delivered to 3,000 places in Istanbul and 2,500 in Bodrum.

Physiotherapy for children with mobility problems

Mobility problems of children who suffer from certain disabilities due to Cerebral Palsy, motor mental retardation, and Down Syndrome are rehabilitated by physiotherapists at the center. In addition, in accordance with the needs of children with other disabilities, programs for individual, group or home exercise should be offered and the improvement must be followed. The aim of the therapy programs is to minimize the mobility problems of the children and to help them gain maximum independence in daily life. Therapy sessions are held with the full support and cooperation of the families.

Education and rehabilitation of children with a diagnosis from a fully equipped state hospital and a medical report from the hospital board can register for the center where they are given meticulous care by a team of specialists. The team includes physiotherapists, special education teachers, ceramics teachers, and child development and education teachers. Moreover, specialists in music and folk dance volunteer to work for and support the center.

With all this workload, the foundation and the rehabilitation center depend on the help of volunteers. The social committee, which consists of volunteers from all over the Bodrum Peninsula, works all year for the betterment of the foundation. The activities of the committee include organizing fairs and benefit dinners, working on projects with similar institutions, and preparing programs to raise public awareness. Moreover, the social committee supports the production at workshops and the improvement of manual skills of the disabled within the rehabilitation center.

Source: www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=1207131248436-2009-12-07