Melek Erman Köni Helps Rural Women Adapt to City Life in İstanbul
On 13 December 2009 Sabancı Foundation's "Turkey's Changemakers" program hosts Melek Erman Köni, founder of Melek Erman Köni Education and Cultural Center that provides support and training for migrant families from rural parts of Turkey, especially women and children.
Melek Erman Köni founded the Center in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Istanbul, namely Esenler. Esenler receives a great number of migrants from different regions of Turkey. In the community center, volunteers offer literacy and urban-life orientation courses to adults and preschool education to children. Most of the attendants consist of women and children.
To this day, the Melek Erman Köni Education and Cultural Center has reached 1.000 people and has increased civic participation in Esenler. Course attendants are also offered complimentary medical screenings and informed about human rights, women's rights, and changes made in the civil code.
Programs offered in the community center aim to reach families mostly through women and provide these families with opportunities to become productive in their communities and adapt to living in a large city such as İstanbul.
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