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A Safe Haven for Syrian Children

Art - Education - Community -

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A Safe Haven for Syrian Children

A Safe Haven for Syrian Children

A Safe Haven for Syrian Children

A Safe Haven for Syrian Children

A Safe Haven for Syrian Children

Art - Education - Community -

Art - Education - Community -

Art - Education - Community -

Art - Education - Community -

Yara Tlass
Yara Tlass
Yara Tlass
Yara Tlass
10 Campaigns |
ANTAKYA, Turkey
$1,229 USD 9 backers
24% of $5,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Highlights
Mountain Filled 10 Projects Mountain Filled 10 Projects
Overview
Watanili/My homeland, focuses on supporting displaced Syrians through the means of art, culture and education. We use art, creative educational means, and community-orientated projects to empower displaced communities to restore the social and intellectual fabric of their lives.

In November 2016, we opened the doors of Makani, a small learning center where displaced Syrian children come to learn what they missed out on as they fled the war in Syria. Think fun literacy classes, cake-making, art collage in the english alphabet, sports, poetry, story telling and more creative lessons to stimulate their minds and expose them to new set of activities . Makani acts as a means of informal education as well as a space for social and psychological support.

We are really grateful for all our friends and community who have been with us through the beginning of our journey. Thanks to your generous support and donations, we were able to sustain the center for three years now, offering educational classes, fun activities, arts and crafts to 50 Syrian refugee children. Makani is not just a safe space for Syrian kids to learn and grow, it is also a lovely makan where friendships are being formed and love and joy are being created through various activities ranging from coloring and painting to photography and story telling and more creative experiences!

Hope is truly manifested in the children’s spirit and the beautifully resilient Syrian teachers and staff who give their all to make sure Makani is a burgeoning space of love and growth.  

NEW UPDATES : Home In Our Heart

During those few years, every few months volunteers equipped with different skill sets and talents would travel from various parts of the world  to this small town across the border of Syria and Turkey and run creative workshops with the kids. It's hard to believe the magic that they create with the kids though for a short time - We believe that these moments will be ingrained in the children's memories, sewing the seeds for healthier, more confident leaders of tomorrow!

This year, Dave and Michael, travelled all the way to Reyhanli from Colorado to create a beautiful artistic workshop with the kids, the result of which is a photobook featured on Amazon - art and stories captured beautifully through the children's eyes. 100% of proceeds from the book sale go back to Makani to continue supporting the center's activities. You can check it out/order a copy here:https://www.amazon.com/Home-Heart-Michael-Oderm...

 

Who We Are

Watanili focuses on supporting displaced Syrians through the means of art, culture and education. We use art, creative educational means, and community-orientated projects to  empower displaced communities to restore the social and intellectual fabric of their lives.

 

PROJECTS

Makani, learning center providing educational services to 50 displaced Syrian children

ARTS & CREATIVE workshops exposing the children to new and creative activities to engage, inspire and empower self-confidence, well-being and artistic talent

Community-based projects : Ramadan GIVE BACK Campaign, Eid Celebrations, Winter Supplies

Educational supplies : books and arts and crafts, toys and clothes

*PAST PROJECTS include cinematic/art events in Aleppo, Syria which have been hurddled due to the heartbreaking situation inside Syria. Hopefully, they will resume one day soon when events allow. 

 

MAKANI, my place

'MAKANI' (my place in Arabic) is a small learning center, encompassing 50 Syrian refugee children who have been deprived of any form of education since they fled the war in Syria.They are learning:

 

Basic Literacy and Numeracy 

Arts &Crafts

Math & Social Sciences

Drawing

Basic English

Life skills

 

WHY SUPPORT MAKANI

Makani's mission is to motivate Syrian children to learn by themselves and for themselves. 

At Makani,  we seek to instill a sense of excitement and a love of learning where curiosity triggers imagination and creativity, following a student-centered approach as opposed to the traditional standardised method of teaching. In Turkey alone, there are more than 3.3 million Syrian refugees — almost half of them under 18. More than a third do not go to schools. Makani is the bridge between public schools and informal means of education.

 

At Makani, we are committed to fostering:

Sustainable Learning

Well-being

Creativity

Confidence

Curiosity

Imagination

Self-motivation

 

The kids at Makani

At Makani,  all the kids are displaced from different cities in Syria, aged between 7-14, from the most vulnerable of backgrounds. With a very low level of literacy that doesn't include the ability to read, all of the kids were taken out of child labor.

 

'One of the students is ten years old and she doesn't know how to count to 100.  I was astonished to see this.  She comes from a very poor background and hasn't been to school neither in Syria nor in Turkey .' -Abrar, Syrian local teacher at Makani

 

At Makani, we believe that a better future starts today. We believe that we can bring about a positive change through educational activities,  as well as uncovering our creativity in the field of arts and culture.

 

 

More Learning & Fun For 2018! 

As we enter 2018, Watanili wants to continue investing in Syrian’s children and youth, developing new set of activities in collaboration with experts in the fields of arts, psychology and community building.

 

We seek to design educational programs specifically tailored to the needs of the children who have experienced loss, violence and trauma and support the local community with basic aid specially during critical occasions such as Christmas & NewYear, Ramadan & Eid where people all around the world celebrate in peace.

 

Syria’s children are no different than children around the world. They deserve to have a happy childhood free from fear and violence where justice and freedom are rights and not luxury. 

 

We want to revive that sense of hope as we continue developing Makani’s activities, reaching out to a broader community as we strengthen our space’s capacity, day by day — keeping an eye on the future where today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders.  Join our cause! 

 

To learn more about our work, follow us on Social Media @Watanili/myhomeland and visit www.watanili.org

 

Copyright © 2014 Watanili. All rights reserved.
Watanili is a non-profit organisation registered in Paris, France under the association law 1901-N:812 981017

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