What a difference a year makes -
As you all know a year ago the 3C’s announced that we hoped to help Bozalan village school, a very poor village school high up on the snow line in the mountains above Saklikent. The school which had a badly leaking roof was in such a state of disrepair that only two of the classrooms could be used and these were wet and unhealthy. Over the winter the 3C’s paid half the cost of the roof repairs and also had a full central heating system installed which had been donated by a sponsor for our charity to allocate to a suitable school.
Then earlier this year, once the school had dried out, Keith very kindly announced that he wanted CBF to support a charity in 2012 and chose Bozalan to be the forum’s first charity project, working in tandem with the 3C’s to improve conditions and provide much needed equipment and an enjoyable environment for the youngsters at the school.
That is where all you lovely CBF members joined in and helped to make the project an outstanding success. Thanks to your enormous kindness and generosity in donating money to purchase much needed equipment as well as providing stationery and other items and donating clothing etc, the school has improved beyond recognition.
Many of the newly purchased items were taken to the school during Keith’s visit to Turkey in May, then during the summer closure the 3C’s paid for the school to be painted inside and out, ready for the new carpet, desks and cupboards to be delivered. The playground equipment had also been installed since our last visit. All that was left was to take up the new slippers, donated school uniforms, jackets and shoes and stationery - and take pictures.
Yesterday sixteen 3C’s committee members and charity shop volunteers, made the 100k round trip to the school in a fleet of 3 Mercedes people carriers generously provided free of charge by Fethiye Airport Transfers (thanks Highlander for arranging this). Not only did FAT’s drivers provide our group with very comfortable and safe transport but they also joined in with the children’s games. Dilek Dincer, Director of Fetav and Kadriye and Unal Bey also from Fetav and other dignitaries and press also went on the visit.
Our group were really pleased to see that the school is now using three classrooms and that there is now running water to the toilet block. This still needs to be renovated but there are plenty of tiles left to reroof the building and make it watertight.
After a tour of the school and watching the children enjoy their new playground equipment - you couldn’t keep them off it long enough to take group photos! - the committee members, volunteers and children were all invited to lunch at the Managers house in the nearby village. This was cooked over an open fire in the garden by the village ladies and the local Muhtar and the villagers all attended.
Summing up the visit Anne (forum member Mercury) said
“I have NEVER seen such a change in any children in any of the schools the 3C’s have visited. At the first visits they were quiet and slightly subdued. They are most definitely NOT like this now. My feelings are that the changes to the buildings and the play things we bought on behalf of CBF members etc, have really improved their outlook on going to the school now and they are definitely happier. livelier and more confident children....”The 3C’s cannot thank Keith, CBF members and our supporters enough in helping with this project as you have really helped to make a difference to the lives of these children - and now for the photos……………
Before ........Now..........Nursery class before..........Nursery class now.........Main classroom before ..........Main classroom now...........Third classroom before.........Third classroom now...........Corridor before............Corridor now..........Playground before .........Playground now.........Anne and Barbara (Mercury and Busy Bee deliver the slippersand the uniforms and jacketsOur fleet of cars courtesy of the lovely drivers from Fethiye Airport Transfers3C's committee members, volunteers and the drivers from Fethiye Airport TransfersLunch is served............Happy smiling children.........Thank You