ISTANBUL - SANCAK SOY ORTAOKULU

Sancak Soy Ortaokulu  (Secondary School) opened in 2005, is located in Bayrampaşa - a central district of Istanbul. We have approximately 1750 students and our students are aged between 10 - 14. Until last year the school was both elemantary and primary school but by the beginning of this term our primary school transferred with it's pupils and  teachers to the nearby schools. We have a complex student profile, some from different parts of Anatolia , some students'  families are  originally migrated from Bosnia, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Former Yugoslavia. We also have 4 nursery school classes and a special class for the mentally retarded children. Except from a small gym and a hall for drama plays and conferences, there is not much opportunity for sport, social and cultural facilities in our school. Some parents try to resolve this deficiency by sending their children to different private sport clubs or courses for drama and music, however many of our students don't have a chance for these facilities due to financial and any other problems. At the same time, due to the tough life conditions for both the families and the students in Istanbul we witness the reflection of these reasons as some undesired manners and lack of motivation  within some students. As a result we think that this project is an opportunity to help them improve their self-esteem, adoption to school and education, meet new cultures and the most important one; to feel being as a part of whole.