The second “Orphanage Managers Training and Consultation Meeting” has taken place in Kocaeli with the participation of notable experts.
Orphanage Managers Training and Consultation Meeting the first of which took place in February last year in Istanbul, has been held in the Darıca town of Kocaeli.
IHH officials working in orphan-focused projects and orphanages along with 33 participants working in orphan-focused projects and orphanages run by IHH’s partner organizations from across 10 countries attended the event held between 3-6 October.
Goal of the event
In his opening remarks Murat Yılmaz, deputy president in charge of orphan-focused projects said that this event is designed to make a consultation on how to better take care of orphans, to deliver them better service and to raise them as better individuals as Muslims well prepared for the future.
Yılmaz commented on the 4-day event:
“Our professors, experts in their fields, will share their knowledge with you on this matter. I would like to express my thanks to them. This is a long run. There are many wars in Muslim lands across the world. Our children are orphaned as a result. Those children should not be raised by missionary organizations and Christian charities. Those children should not fall prey to organ mafia and prostitution. Those children should not fall prey to warlords or other clandestine organizations. We should protect those orphan children as we are advised so by our Prophet (PBUH) and by the verses in the Quran. If we fail to do that we will be in sorrow. We are the ummah of an orphaned prophet. He said: The one who served for an orphan and I will be together like two fingers in heaven. That is the reason of our existence here. Therefore I would kindly ask you, who will run orphan-focused projects back in your countries, to understand the modules very well in order to implement them well in the orphanages when you return.”
The training workshops by notable experts have been quite fruitful. The first 3-day included the following modules;
Associated Professor Ömer Miraç conducted a module on;
- Teenagers and Understanding Them
- The Relationship Between Children and Teenagers in Quran and Sunnah
- Educating Children and Teenagers on Privacy and Discretion
Clinical Psychologist HakanErtufan conducted a module;
- Children’s and Teenagers’ Reaction to Death, Loss and Mourning
- Laymen’s Helping Techniques for Children in Mourning
Hüseyin Fırat conducted a module on;
- Symptoms of Burnout Syndrome
-Coping Techniques for Burnout Syndrome
Clinic Psychologist Ramazan Uslu conducted a module on;
- Helping Those Who Help: Art Therapy Techniques
Psychologist, Social Welfare Officer Şevket Kalkan;
- Behavioural Disorders in Children and Teenagers in Institution Care
- Changing and Placing Behaviours in Children and Teenagers
Last day, AID volunteers conducted a workshop on;
- How to set up art and crafts workshops for children and teenagers? The participants in the workshop toiled to create various art products.
Interaction with children according to Quran and Sunnah
In his lecture Associated Prof. Ömer Miraç Yaman quoted the verse “All that was asked of them was to worship GOD, devoting the religion absolutely to Him alone” (Quran 98:5) and highlighted the importance of being earnest and sincere in orphan-focused works and projects.
Mr. Yaman explained about today’s youth and teenagers and how to interact with them according to Quran and Sunnah:
“What you should do as children go into puberty and change is to read this change well and look into what it corresponds to in physical and psychological terms. If we can understand it wall then we will be successful in our interaction with them.”
In the last session of the event IHH Orphanage Management Guideline booklet, which is prepared by EmrinÇebi from IHH Research Department, was promoted and partner organizations feedback and review of the book were received.
Thereafter, partner organizations made presentations about their orphan-focused projects and orphanage activities and shared know-how and experience with other participating orphanage managers and officials.
Mr. Adem Kalaycı: We are working in the most difficult region in the world.
IHH Syria Work Orphan Unit Coordinator Mr. Adem Kalaycı expressed that they are working in the most difficult region in the world and noted: “World’s super powers are playing a game inside Syria.”
Mr. Kalaycı gave a brief on orphan-focused projects in Syria:
“According to our current figure, there are 600.000 orphans and counting. We are sponsoring 5.000 orphans under our sponsorship scheme in Syria. We have reached out to 250.000 orphans through our periodic aids. IHH is setting up orphanages and orphan camps inside and outside Turkey. We have opened up two orphanages even in Guta where regime forces reign supreme. One hundred children are staying in each. We have seven orphanages in Turkey three of which belongs to IHH and four of which is funded by IHH.”
