for a second I just want you to think about a little girl at the age of nine
about a little girl at the age of nine
about a little girl at the age of nine after a long day at an educational
after a long day at an educational
after a long day at an educational project she is going back home and on
project she is going back home and on
project she is going back home and on the bus she immediately takes her
the bus she immediately takes her
the bus she immediately takes her notebook out of her bag and she starts
notebook out of her bag and she starts
notebook out of her bag and she starts doing her homework I’m not sure if there
doing her homework I’m not sure if there
doing her homework I’m not sure if there are children like her anymore I mean
are children like her anymore I mean
are children like her anymore I mean when I think about my childhood all I
when I think about my childhood all I
when I think about my childhood all I did on the school bus was singing
did on the school bus was singing
did on the school bus was singing yelling and playing with my friends but
yelling and playing with my friends but
yelling and playing with my friends but there’s something different about this
there’s something different about this
there’s something different about this girl she is very eager to learn
girl she is very eager to learn
girl she is very eager to learn something anything so if you had the
something anything so if you had the
something anything so if you had the chance would you like to know this girl
chance would you like to know this girl
chance would you like to know this girl well I definitely would and I’m glad I
well I definitely would and I’m glad I
well I definitely would and I’m glad I did so let me talk you through her
did so let me talk you through her
did so let me talk you through her journey
journey
journey this is cinders she’s a refugee girl
this is cinders she’s a refugee girl
this is cinders she’s a refugee girl from Syria before she was described as a
from Syria before she was described as a
from Syria before she was described as a refugee she had a nice house back in
refugee she had a nice house back in
refugee she had a nice house back in Syria and she was going to a decent
Syria and she was going to a decent
Syria and she was going to a decent school and she had many friends and
school and she had many friends and
school and she had many friends and relatives just like us most importantly
relatives just like us most importantly
relatives just like us most importantly she had her own daily routine but with
she had her own daily routine but with
she had her own daily routine but with the outbreak of the war her life
the outbreak of the war her life
the outbreak of the war her life suddenly changed first she had the shops
suddenly changed first she had the shops
suddenly changed first she had the shops around the neighborhood started closing
around the neighborhood started closing
around the neighborhood started closing down and then she had to stop going to
down and then she had to stop going to
down and then she had to stop going to school and then for the first time she
school and then for the first time she
school and then for the first time she had to learn what it feels like to lose
had to learn what it feels like to lose
had to learn what it feels like to lose someone you really love like her best
someone you really love like her best
someone you really love like her best friend or your cousin just as things
friend or your cousin just as things
friend or your cousin just as things were getting very serious she and her
were getting very serious she and her
were getting very serious she and her family managed to make it to Turkey now
family managed to make it to Turkey now
family managed to make it to Turkey now sinuhe’s is living in a small and
sinuhe’s is living in a small and
sinuhe’s is living in a small and overcrowded house in a disadvantaged
overcrowded house in a disadvantaged
overcrowded house in a disadvantaged area of Istanbul since the fathers of
area of Istanbul since the fathers of
area of Istanbul since the fathers of the families passed away during the war
the families passed away during the war
the families passed away during the war two or more families live together to
two or more families live together to
two or more families live together to afford the rent just like many others
afford the rent just like many others
afford the rent just like many others soon loses family cannot afford both the
soon loses family cannot afford both the
soon loses family cannot afford both the living and school expenses of their
living and school expenses of their
living and school expenses of their children so soon this doesn’t go to
children so soon this doesn’t go to
children so soon this doesn’t go to school in Turkey it is true she’s safe
school in Turkey it is true she’s safe
school in Turkey it is true she’s safe now and far away from the
now and far away from the
now and far away from the war but she is facing a new problem in
war but she is facing a new problem in
war but she is facing a new problem in the absence of proper refugee policies
the absence of proper refugee policies
the absence of proper refugee policies it is more than likely that students
it is more than likely that students
it is more than likely that students will work in a textile factory when she
will work in a textile factory when she
will work in a textile factory when she reaches the age of 13 well it’s it’s so
reaches the age of 13 well it’s it’s so
reaches the age of 13 well it’s it’s so it’s so sad to see that you know when a
it’s so sad to see that you know when a
it’s so sad to see that you know when a child is working in a textile factory at
child is working in a textile factory at
child is working in a textile factory at the age of 13 I know you felt sorry for
the age of 13 I know you felt sorry for
the age of 13 I know you felt sorry for cinders but I can say that she is
cinders but I can say that she is
cinders but I can say that she is considered as one of the lucky ones
considered as one of the lucky ones
considered as one of the lucky ones because she might have stayed behind and
because she might have stayed behind and
because she might have stayed behind and she might have been the target of the
she might have been the target of the
she might have been the target of the weapons or she might have been living in
weapons or she might have been living in
weapons or she might have been living in a refugee camp so let me talk about some
a refugee camp so let me talk about some
a refugee camp so let me talk about some statistic to show you the bigger picture
statistic to show you the bigger picture
statistic to show you the bigger picture according to UNICEF eight point four
according to UNICEF eight point four
according to UNICEF eight point four children have been affected by the
children have been affected by the
children have been affected by the conflict in Syria
conflict in Syria
conflict in Syria this is like 80 percent of Syria’s child
this is like 80 percent of Syria’s child
this is like 80 percent of Syria’s child population
population
population did you know eight in 10 children are in
did you know eight in 10 children are in
did you know eight in 10 children are in the need of humanitarian assistance in
the need of humanitarian assistance in
the need of humanitarian assistance in Syria in Syria or four in once one in
Syria in Syria or four in once one in
Syria in Syria or four in once one in four schools have been destroyed or
four schools have been destroyed or
four schools have been destroyed or damaged or did you know almost four in
damaged or did you know almost four in
damaged or did you know almost four in ten children are displaced from their
ten children are displaced from their
ten children are displaced from their homes or four in ten children have shown
homes or four in ten children have shown
homes or four in ten children have shown symptoms of PTSD in a Turkish refugee
symptoms of PTSD in a Turkish refugee
symptoms of PTSD in a Turkish refugee camp the most important thing is did you
camp the most important thing is did you
camp the most important thing is did you know the United Nations Human Rights
know the United Nations Human Rights
know the United Nations Human Rights office stopped updating its death toll
office stopped updating its death toll
office stopped updating its death toll for the war in Syria in early 2014
for the war in Syria in early 2014
for the war in Syria in early 2014 because the reason was it was becoming
because the reason was it was becoming
because the reason was it was becoming much hard to verify the deaths after the
much hard to verify the deaths after the
much hard to verify the deaths after the conflict has dragged on for years so
conflict has dragged on for years so
conflict has dragged on for years so when this was becoming the biggest
when this was becoming the biggest
when this was becoming the biggest tragedies of our time what were other
tragedies of our time what were other
tragedies of our time what were other people doing when internally displaced
people doing when internally displaced
people doing when internally displaced Syrians were fleeing towards borders
Syrians were fleeing towards borders
Syrians were fleeing towards borders has been done fortunately some of the
has been done fortunately some of the
has been done fortunately some of the neighboring countries opened up their
neighboring countries opened up their
neighboring countries opened up their borders and started taking in refugees
borders and started taking in refugees
borders and started taking in refugees turkey with three million and Lebanon
turkey with three million and Lebanon
turkey with three million and Lebanon with more million are the top Syrian
with more million are the top Syrian
with more million are the top Syrian refugee receiving countries in the world
refugee receiving countries in the world
refugee receiving countries in the world but what about the rest of the world
but what about the rest of the world
but what about the rest of the world what about sharing the burden of the
what about sharing the burden of the
what about sharing the burden of the crisis
crisis
crisis well except Germany with 450 thousand
well except Germany with 450 thousand
well except Germany with 450 thousand refugees and Sweden with 100,000
refugees and Sweden with 100,000
refugees and Sweden with 100,000 refugees other countries failed to take
refugees other countries failed to take
refugees other countries failed to take in more than a few 10,000 for instance
in more than a few 10,000 for instance
in more than a few 10,000 for instance US has taken in 18,000 refugees and UK
US has taken in 18,000 refugees and UK
US has taken in 18,000 refugees and UK has taken in 10,000 refugees and France
has taken in 10,000 refugees and France
has taken in 10,000 refugees and France has taken in 10,000 refugees and Italy
has taken in 10,000 refugees and Italy
has taken in 10,000 refugees and Italy has taken in three thousand and five
has taken in three thousand and five
has taken in three thousand and five hundred refugees and for instance Israel
hundred refugees and for instance Israel
hundred refugees and for instance Israel which is a neighboring country has
which is a neighboring country has
which is a neighboring country has refused to take in
refused to take in
refused to take in any refugees if the countries taken our
any refugees if the countries taken our
any refugees if the countries taken our friendly stance toward refugees it
friendly stance toward refugees it
friendly stance toward refugees it becomes much harder to change the
becomes much harder to change the
becomes much harder to change the individuals point of view creating yet
individuals point of view creating yet
individuals point of view creating yet refugee friendly environment opens up
refugee friendly environment opens up
refugee friendly environment opens up new doors to efforts and changes such as
new doors to efforts and changes such as
new doors to efforts and changes such as our project every year European social
our project every year European social
our project every year European social innovation competition calls people to
innovation competition calls people to
innovation competition calls people to come up with solutions to the problems
come up with solutions to the problems
come up with solutions to the problems affecting our society so last year the
affecting our society so last year the
affecting our society so last year the contact was integrated features which
contact was integrated features which
contact was integrated features which focused on the refugee crisis as turkey
focused on the refugee crisis as turkey
focused on the refugee crisis as turkey being the top refugee receiving country
being the top refugee receiving country
being the top refugee receiving country in the world we thought we could use our
in the world we thought we could use our
in the world we thought we could use our experience and knowledge and create a
experience and knowledge and create a
experience and knowledge and create a praiseworthy project at the beginning we
praiseworthy project at the beginning we
praiseworthy project at the beginning we were trying so hard to be different than
were trying so hard to be different than
were trying so hard to be different than original and we came a bit complicated
original and we came a bit complicated
original and we came a bit complicated and multistage ideas but they all seemed
and multistage ideas but they all seemed
and multistage ideas but they all seemed unnatural and then we decided that we
unnatural and then we decided that we
unnatural and then we decided that we will just look around us and see the
will just look around us and see the
will just look around us and see the real problem in Turkey local children
real problem in Turkey local children
real problem in Turkey local children and refugee children are living mostly
and refugee children are living mostly
and refugee children are living mostly around the same neighborhood
around the same neighborhood
around the same neighborhood but they don’t spend time together and
but they don’t spend time together and
but they don’t spend time together and they don’t even talk to each other also
they don’t even talk to each other also
they don’t even talk to each other also in both cases refugee and local children
in both cases refugee and local children
in both cases refugee and local children are having severe educational problems
are having severe educational problems
are having severe educational problems some of the refugee children cannot
some of the refugee children cannot
some of the refugee children cannot speak a word of Turkish and some local
speak a word of Turkish and some local
speak a word of Turkish and some local and refugee children are having problems
and refugee children are having problems
and refugee children are having problems in school learning to write and learning
in school learning to write and learning
in school learning to write and learning to read and they are having basing
to read and they are having basing
to read and they are having basing problems learning learning how to
problems learning learning how to
problems learning learning how to succeed in the mathematic class so we
succeed in the mathematic class so we
succeed in the mathematic class so we decided that we will focus on the
decided that we will focus on the
decided that we will focus on the children and educational problems but
children and educational problems but
children and educational problems but then we turned ourselves and asked if we
then we turned ourselves and asked if we
then we turned ourselves and asked if we are capable of helping these kids as
are capable of helping these kids as
are capable of helping these kids as University students we knew we don’t
University students we knew we don’t
University students we knew we don’t have much like real-life experience and
have much like real-life experience and
have much like real-life experience and responsibilities while we’re studying we
responsibilities while we’re studying we
responsibilities while we’re studying we knew we weren’t perfect but we wanted to
knew we weren’t perfect but we wanted to
knew we weren’t perfect but we wanted to combine all of these disadvantages and
combine all of these disadvantages and
combine all of these disadvantages and turn it into a self-sufficient formula
turn it into a self-sufficient formula
turn it into a self-sufficient formula so we created project virtuous triangle
so we created project virtuous triangle
so we created project virtuous triangle we aim to open up a platform where one
we aim to open up a platform where one
we aim to open up a platform where one University student is matched one
University student is matched one
University student is matched one refugee and one local child so at
refugee and one local child so at
refugee and one local child so at weekends University students will teach
weekends University students will teach
weekends University students will teach basic Turkish and mathematics to the
basic Turkish and mathematics to the
basic Turkish and mathematics to the children who are not attending schools
children who are not attending schools
children who are not attending schools or whore attending schools and to the
or whore attending schools and to the
or whore attending schools and to the children who are attending schools
children who are attending schools
children who are attending schools students will provide them with help
students will provide them with help
students will provide them with help with their homeworks but most
with their homeworks but most
with their homeworks but most importantly in the meantime they will be
importantly in the meantime they will be
importantly in the meantime they will be communicating and hopefully they will
communicating and hopefully they will
communicating and hopefully they will establish a long-term friendship so with
establish a long-term friendship so with
establish a long-term friendship so with this idea we have been chosen one of the
this idea we have been chosen one of the
this idea we have been chosen one of the three winners of the European social
three winners of the European social
three winners of the European social innovation competition until now we have
innovation competition until now we have
innovation competition until now we have been improving our project by taking
been improving our project by taking
been improving our project by taking advice from experts such as
advice from experts such as
advice from experts such as psychologists and pedagogues and
psychologists and pedagogues and
psychologists and pedagogues and teachers also we have been attending
teachers also we have been attending
teachers also we have been attending some refugee based projects to gain
some refugee based projects to gain
some refugee based projects to gain experience we actually met to induce in
experience we actually met to induce in
experience we actually met to induce in one of those project called hope tent
one of those project called hope tent
one of those project called hope tent when we saw the potential she has we
when we saw the potential she has we
when we saw the potential she has we realize once again how important it is
realize once again how important it is
realize once again how important it is to help her and
to help her and
to help her and others to achieve their dreams so next
others to achieve their dreams so next
others to achieve their dreams so next month with 20 children we are bringing
month with 20 children we are bringing
month with 20 children we are bringing our project into life and as three
our project into life and as three
our project into life and as three university students in their early 20s
university students in their early 20s
university students in their early 20s we can only reach a few of them so let
we can only reach a few of them so let
we can only reach a few of them so let this tool change something in you so
this tool change something in you so
this tool change something in you so let’s not just sit around and watch the
let’s not just sit around and watch the
let’s not just sit around and watch the crisis next month
crisis next month
crisis next month let’s reach more people in need let’s
let’s reach more people in need let’s
let’s reach more people in need let’s break boundaries thank
break boundaries thank
break boundaries thank [Applause]
”
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