For 26 years, one of the most important activities of the Deniz Feneri Association, which continues the goodwill movement, is the ‘Goodness School project. The ‘Goodness School’ project, which has been conducted in partnership with the Ministry of National Education since 2014, was interrupted in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the early days of the 2022-2023 academic year, ‘Goodness School’ teams have visited schools and continued face-to-face meetings with students.
This project aims to instill kindness in young people and make them partners in this project. Through the project, hundreds of water wells have been opened in villages in Africa that had no access to water, and cataract surgeries have been performed for thousands of people, allowing them to regain their sight. Tens of thousands of students have supported similar projects, accumulating unforgettable stories of kindness throughout their lives. Through the project, hundreds of thousands of students have felt the satisfaction of doing good and brining joy to others.
Another aspect of this project is the ‘Applied Kindness Project Competition’ announced under the slogan ‘Schools Compete in Goodness.’ In this context, students have been competing with interesting and impactful kindness projects they have prepared for over five years. Some of the students have been awarded for their outstanding contributions.
School Opening in Idlib on World Kindness Day
Education is undoubtedly the most fundamental issue everywhere in the world. After all, through education, people develop, and societies thrive. Efforts are being made to heal the wounds inflicted on education by the ongoing civil war in Syria. Undoubtedly, the ones most affected by the war have always been children. According to information provided by UNICEF, the number of children affected by the civil war in Syria is expressed in tens of thousands. To address this devastating and heart-wrenching situation, the Deniz Feneri Association rolled up its sleeves and constructed a ‘Goodness School’ within the area where brick houses are located in the Kemmune region of Syria. The opening of the ‘Goodness School’ took place on November 13, 2022, World Kindness Day.
The land for this school was allocated by AFAD, while the construction costs were undertaken by Jigsaw. The school’s internal materials such as desks, chairs, and more were provided by the Özgür Ümmet Association (Free Ummah Association). The operation of the school is carried out by the Guiding Education and Solidarity Association.
The school built by the Deniz Feneri Association addressed one of the region’s most crucial needs. After the opening, school uniforms, backpacks, notebooks, pens, erasers, and water bottles were given as a stationery set to the students. The school, consisting of 18 classrooms, provides continued education for 1,280 students whose education had been disrupted. Additionally, during the remaining hours, adults in the region also have the opportunity to receive education at this school.
Goodness School Students Opened a Primary School in Thailand Pattani
Thanks to the Goodness School initiatives that began in the early weeks of the 2016-2017 academic year in Antalya, the July 15 Martyrs Primary School was constructed in Thailand Pattani. The foundations of the school were laid in 2018 and the construction was completed in 2020. Due to the pandemic, the opening of the school, which had been postponed, took place on November 20, 2022, on World Children’s Right Day.
The July 15 Martyrs Primary School in Thailand Pattani has a capacity for 450 students and consists of 10 classrooms and two laboratories.
Deniz Feneri Association Receives Accreditation Certificates from AFAD
On the 23rd anniversary of the earthquake that marked a milestone in disaster management in Türkiye, the 17 August 1999 earthquake, the ‘AFAD Accreditation System and AFAD Volunteering System Certificate Ceremony’ was held. Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu presented certificates to 643 members from 24 accredited institutions and organizations and 500 AFAD support volunteers who will be working in the field.
The Deniz Feneri Association, known for its meticulousness in both nutrition and logistics and aid aspects in disaster-stricken areas, received accreditation organization registration certificates from AFAD in two fields. Our association has been accredited in both the field of in-kind donations, warehouse management, and distribution, as well as in the field of nutrition.
Furthermore, Süleyman Soylu spoke at the Disaster Communication Workshop jointly organized by the Directorate of Communications and AFAD on 1 November 2022. Soylu highlighted Deniz Feneri’s logistical experience and stated: ‘I witnessed in Elazığ how goods arriving at a warehouse should be stacked and distributed. In Türkiye, Deniz Feneri Association is the most organization in this regard, a professional and highly proficient organization that has taught us a lot in this field. Magnificent… They have the ability to teach these courses at universities.’