BORUSAN, Istanbul, Türkiye: Borusan Sinemasal Academy Defne Campus Project

Total 525 words used.

Borusan Holding is an Istanbul-based group of companies operating in the fields of steel, distributorship, energy and logistics in Turkey and around the world.  

The year 2023 went down in history as the year of the greatest disasters in the history of the Republic of Turkey. Two earthquakes of magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 occurred 9 hours apart, centered in Kahramanmaraş province. These earthquakes caused damage to an area of approximately 350,000 km2 and affected 14 million people. Approximately 60,000 people died and nearly 150,000 people were injured. A total of 518,000 residences were destroyed or severely damaged. While more than 2 million people had housing problems, at least 5 million people had to migrate from the region. Millions of people began to live in tent cities or prefabricated earthquake areas.

Borusan, which keeps social responsibility at the center of its company strategy, has drawn road map that aims to meet the needs of the people of the region.  Sinemasal Academy Borusan Defne Campus was implemented to support children and young people, who are the group most affected by the earthquake, to continue their lives and to support them psychologically and socially. While the project contributes to the development of children and young people among educational lives, which was interrupted in the region due to earthquakes, it also aims to support the well-being of these groups in order to return to normal, and to reconnect them to life by learning and producing after the traumas they have experienced. 

Sinemasal Academy Defne Campus provides a platform for children and young people aged 5-17 living in tent and container cities to discover and develop their potential by supporting them with extra-curricular training and outdoor activities. In this special campus, where education, science, art, games and sports come together, online and physical training is also provided for children preparing for high school and university entrance exams. In addition to departmental courses, children are also provided with guidance and mentoring support regarding career selection. 

The activities planned in the project are carried out by Borusan Volunteer employees along with subject experts. Borusan Volunteers visit the earthquake zone twice a month with groups of at least 10 people and organize activities and workshops for young people and children. Borusan Volunteers also visit disadvantaged villages outside the campus, ensuring that events reach those who cannot reach the campus. Also, teachers living in the region and affected by earthquake are also employed in the project. 

Sinemasal Academy Borusan Defne Campus also contributed to the development of the capacity of the Sinemasal Culture and Arts Association, thus creating the opportunity for the association to carry out its work on recovery after the earthquake and to reach more disadvantaged groups. For Borusan, this collaboration has created awareness both internally and externally by providing the opportunity to create long-term benefits that have sustainable effects after disaster. 

5,000 people regularly use Sinemasal Academy Defne Campus. To date, more than 100,000 children and young people have participated in nearly 100 events, while more than 100 Borusan volunteers and more than 2,000 volunteer experts have taken part in the project. 

The Project differentiates itself from peers in the following areas.

Social Benefit: 

The project ensures that children and young people recover after the disaster through art, science and games, that those preparing for high school and university entrance exams do not fall behind their peers, and that young teachers and experts from Hatay, who were affected by the earthquake, are employed. The project also contributes to healing and change for the direct beneficiaries, children and young people, as well as their families. 

Borusan Volunteers Participation: 

The fact that Borusan volunteers personally take part in the activities of the project and periodically visit the region and reach locations outside the campus makes this project stand out from its similar ones. In this respect, this project creates an opportunity where employees can make voluntary contributions through their efforts. 

Cooperation Model: 

Borusan cooperates with Sinemasal, a social enterprise that provides support to children living in socio -culturally disadvantaged areas. The fact that the Sinemasal Team is in the disaster area, can determine the needs of the region on-site, and has direct communication with the local people makes a significant contribution to determining the real needs of the region by preventing information pollution. 

Project Continuity and Sustainability: 

The project aims to always meet the needs of the region through continuous measurement and evaluation activities, thus aiming for continuity. Volunteer groups sent regularly every month, regular meetings held by Borusan &Sinemasal for campus and regional needs, and updated plans made in this direction. 

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