Elder and Sister Edwards

Renewal of a School

 

Friday Nov. 30 we got the treat of our lives.  On our way home from the closing of a project at Imrahor Primary School, we said if we were to go home that day we would felt well rewarded for having gone on a great mission.

August 2012, soon after arriving in Turkey, we visited a small community, Imrahor, Ankara, Turkey, to talk to Hatice Altundag, the Head Schoolmaster about some needs for the school.  It was a very poor section of town and the government had donated the school district an old delapidated building which had formerly been a factory or business of some kind years ago.  The government provided the building but no money to renovate.  The parents have not, in the past, seen a real need for their children to be educated; they would just as soon have the children working to help meet financial needs.

In the school building there were four classrooms for grades Kindergarten through grade 8.  A schedule was worked out that half the students attend in the morning, and the other half in the afternoon to accomodate everyone. 

Hatice was brought in from another school district because she was extremely ambitious and on-the-ball. She began working very hard not only to renovate the building - with donations only, but educate the parents as well as to the importance of gaining an education.

The humanitarian couple we replaced, through the Church, provided new desks for some of the classrooms and some storage closets.  The Headmaster began showing local businesses what the Church - from another country -  had done for them, and asked if they could do something to help also.  Soon there were contractors donating their time and materials, and other businesses following suite: blinds for the windows, paint and wall paper for the walls, new doors, new awning for the entryway, new floors, and basketball standards for the play ground. 

 When we became involved, Hatice was asking for more desks, dry erase boards, library facilities and science equipment.   The Church was able to suppy 80 more desks and dry erase boards for four class.  We told her we would go to work and try our very best to see what we could do.  In our conversation with Hatice, Elder Edwards asked her what they would be able to do in return to show their gratitude. She said they would put on a program for us. 

 

 

For this project the Church donated desks and chairs for both students and teachers and dry erase boards for the classrooms.  From that time, until we returned on Nov. 30, 2012 they worked very hard to fix up the building and decorate it for a condusive learning enviornment for the children.  The end result had a 'woman's touch'.  For instance, the new desks had bright orange legs.  The shades in the rooms were bright orange as well.  Everything had been painted and was beautiful and clean and in good repair.  We were very impressed.  Hatice is standing in the background against the wall.

 

The program they had prepared was outstanding.  The children won our hearts over as they performed with speaking parts (we didn't understand a word, but still enjoyed it!) and then they presented us each with a bouquet of flowers.  Elder Edwards gave a short speech - in Turkish.  Everyone clapped as he finished, so we choose to believe he was understood.  In attendance were many officials.  Also, everyone who had donated and contributed in any way was invited.  We were also fed a delicious meal.

School District Khadija Altindag; Cankaya Municipality and donors.  

The Cankaya District Governor, Mehmet Ali Yildrim, is in the bright blue tie, and other dignitaries and donators are pictured:  National Education Manager Julak Saydan, Deputy Major Mr. Grant, Director of Scientific Affairs Bozdoyan Ozkan, Building Art Dirctor Ahmet Sahin, National Education Branch Manager Adam Alkin Aytek.  Donors, Wayne and Jean Edwards, Representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Cankaya school principals, teachers, parents, and students.  (We are standing under the new awning of the school.)

Seda (our interpreator and nanny) and Sister Edwards