İsmail Bayraktar is a teacher; at the same time, he has dedicated his life to the sport of handball since 1991. Handball is not as popular as football especially in Turkey. It also doesn’t have as big and as impressive opportunities as football does. Setting off with a passion for handball, Bayraktar founded Elazığ Social Cooperation Sports Club Association in 2010 to support the participation of daughters of disadvantaged families to education and communal living. Bayraktar is the president and coach of the club that he founded and is also the driver of the minibus they use to go to away games.

Elazığ Social Cooperation Sports Club Association is working especially for the social development of children from low income families with difficulty continuing education. Also, the association periodically provides food and monetary help to families who need it.

Girls who had had to leave their education for different reasons, both continued their education and reached outstanding success on sports after joining the club. To this day, Elazığ Social Cooperation Sports Club Association has sent over 30 athletes to the national team camps and 10 of them succeeded to join the national team. Furthermore, Elazığ also gained a gymnasium through İsmail Bayraktar’s efforts.

Under İsmail Bayraktar’s leadership, Elazığ Social Cooperation Sports Club Association became a hope to daughters of low income families. The Association helped them both continue education life and become professional in the sport of handball. It made a huge difference in the lives of girls living in Elazığ while bringing together social responsibility, education and sports.