Most recent stats by UNICEF from early August estimate that 1.6 million people are still living in informal sites with limited or no access to services. About 800.000 people have already moved to more formal settlements such as container cities. One of these container cities is the Umut Kent container city, established with the support of the Koç Holding near the city of Kahramanmaras. In this container city of about 2300 containers, our partner ISSDA was requested to establish a youth center to offer psychosocial support to families and children.

In the second week of August, our StreetSmart trainers visited the ISSDA-team in the container city to conduct a one-week implementation training for the mobile school. From now on, the mobile school will reach out to the children in the city multiple times per week. Below are a couple of pictures from a fabulous implementation week with the team in Türkiye.

The local team of ISSDA after completing the technical workshop with the mobile school on day one of the training in Kahramanmaras. The full-time mobile school team will consist of two social workers and one coordinator.  

During the week, the team went through a series of workshops to learn more about the use and the vision behind the mobile school. Here, one of the groups is discussing on the importance of empathy and taking on different perspectives in youth work.

Social workers from ISSDA playing with one of the new games on children’s rights from the All Children, All Right(s) toolkit during the games and creative therapy workshop.

Finally, the first, well-attended outreach session with the mobile school, in front of the container where the youth center is based. During the first session, about 35 hugely enthusiastic children participated in the session.

A lot of children of different age groups showing interest in the variety of games during the first outreach session in front of the youth center.

Before the session, the team decided to take a walk through the container city to raise awareness within the community and to share more information on the new project.

A lot of fun and laughter during the second mobile school session, while playing a game about linking objects to different professions with the sliding door panel.

Time for one last group picture with the team at the end of the week, to celebrate the successful implementation of a very special project!