Yildiztepe School Project

In an isolated village at Northwestern Turkey, 29 kids are searching for a better future through education under tough conditions. This project is for the benefit of these children.

We were first contacted about this school by Celal Alpay, owner of New Kapadokia Restaurant, one of our best supporters, and an former resident of Duzce.

The Village

Yildiztepe is a small village located at the Gumusova town of Duzce province. The region is struggling to prosper since a massive earthquake shook the local economy in November 1999. The average annual income per person is below $1,000 in the village.

The School

Yildiztepe Elementary School, which is approximately 1,600 sqft, has two classrooms, however one of them is too damaged to be used. Thus, only first through third grades are being taught in combined grades. Fourth and fifth graders have to be transported to neighboring towns to continue their education.

The whole building, including the toilets, the kitchen, the school yard, and the classrooms are in very poor, thus dangerous, condition.

Education

Currently 7 students are first grade students, where as the second and third grades have 11 students each.

Despite the poor conditions of the school building, kids of Yildiztepe are very enthesuastic to learn more about the world outside of their village. However, the school lacks the main educational materials to quench their thirst for knowledge, such as notebooks, maps, pencils etc.

The Project

Friends of Anatolia is committed to renovate Yildiztepe Elementary this summer with the funds it will raise over the next several months. With the support of our donors like you, we will:

• renew the classrooms
• fix the roof
• lay floor tiles
• paint the walls
• repair the restrooms
• redesign the school yard
• improve the electricity infrastructure
• and provide educational materials.

Here's what you can do for these kids:

Donate

Volunteer for Friends of Anatolia

Please do not hesitate to contact us regarding any questions or comments. More information and photos of this school are available here.

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