Having left behind a year in the nationwide struggle with the epidemic; Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services, through social, cultural, artistic and sport activities adapted to epidemic conditions, contributes to knowledge, skill, experience and awareness levels of children who stay under institutional care in order to support their physical and mental developments.  

While the Ministry endeavours to protect children from the epidemic and provide isolation; on the other hand, it carries out activities tailored to the epidemic conditions.

One of these activities is book reading.

As part of distance education, book reading activities were organized in specific days of the week for children staying at institutions affiliated to the Ministry.

“I am Reading&Animating” Activity

The activities aimed at having children adapt reading habits, enriching vocabulary capacity and strengthening communication skills.

Furthermore, “I am Reading&Animating” activity was organized to support the capacity to share achievements with friends through explaining the content of books to friends in verbal form or through animating stories.

Awareness Activities Were Organized

The Ministry organized many awareness activities considering the age groups and developmental characteristics of children in institutions.

In addition to activities symbolized with green in order to draw attention to children with cerebral palsy, awareness activities were carried out for special days such as Week of Children with Leukemia, International Childhood Cancer Day, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, World Enviroment Day and International Children’s Right Day.

Besides, various activities such as plant and vegetable planting activities in the gardens of institutions in order to instil children with love of nature, kitchen activities in order to upskill them with kitchen skills in daily life, animal feding activities in order to instil children with love of animals were carried out.

Painting Studios Established

Painting studios were built in many care institutions in order to ensure that children spend their time efficiently during the epidemic.

Painting studies were carried out under the leadership of staff or group leaders in institutions lacking a studio.

Children Enjoyed the Amigurumi Art

Sculpture studies and handicrafts activities were also organized in institutions.

Children showed great interest in activities such as amigurumi, ceramic, wood and stone painting, string art and calligraphy.

Children stated that they enjoyed crafting toys for themselves and other children around them, especially with the amigurumi method, knitting waste threads with crochet needles.

Two of the most favourite traditional handicrafts of children was miniature and marbling art.

Music Lessons Unearthed Talents

Special activities were organized for children who are interested in or have a fine ear for music in order to teach them playing instruments of their choice and to train their voices.

Thanks to the music lessons, it turned up that many children, who stay in institutions, had big talents for music.

Children Showed Great Interest in Cinema Activities

Through movies and documentaries, both instructive and entertaining cinema activities  were organized in institutions that have suitable garden.

Films were selected with due consideration of age groups and developmental characteristics and they were controlled by the personnel before display.

Cinema activities which were organized in coherence with the epidemic measures were one of the activities that children showed great interest.

Sport Activities were Organized

With the purpose of to supporting the physical, social and psychological development of children, various sports activities were organized.

Sport activities such as athleticism, aerobic, badminton, basketball, billiards, cycling, bowling, dart, football, gymnastics, archery, table tennis were organised under the supervision of at least one gym trainer and in coherence with all epidemic measures.

Besides, children are provided with the opportunity to become licensed sporters through such courses.

In this context, there are 15 national athletes and 2.081 licensed athletes under state protection.

National and moral values are not forgotten

Activities were also organized so that children do not forget their national and moral values.

Special programs for important days such as Mevlid en-Nebi, Laylat al-Raghaib, Lailat al-Miraj, Mid-Sha’ban and Laylat al-Qadr were organized in all children’s shelters.

Precious education lessons were given with the support of Provincial and District Muftiate in order to provide development of the child at all points, to keep away the child from bad habits, to equip the child with  social and universal values.

Within the scope of the Commemoration Activities of Our National Poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy, activities such as contests, talk shows, poem reading activities and gift distribution were also organized.

Scientific and Academic Experiments

Various scientific and academic experiments and studies were carrried out with children from all age groups in the institutions under supervision of their teachers or group leaders.

Vocational Courses Continued

In order to contribute to the development of children and to ensure that they can acquire a profession in the future in line with their interests and abilities, vocational courses were continued in areas such as hairdressing, skin care, pastry, chef assistance, carpentry, carpet weaving handloom, local rug weaving, crafting touristic souvenir and jewelry design,