Zihinsel Yetersiz Çocukları Yetiştirme ve Koruma Vakfı

Zihinsel Yetersiz Çocukları Yetiştirme ve Koruma Vakfı — widely known by its acronym ZİÇEV — is a Turkish non-profit foundation (vakıf) dedicated to the education, rehabilitation, care and social inclusion of children with intellectual disabilities. It was founded on 8 March 1982 in Ankara by a group of volunteers led by Makbule Ölçen, who became its first General President. The organisation describes its mission as creating the conditions in which children with special needs in Turkey can access adequate education, rehabilitation and care, helping them acquire vocational skills, and securing the long-term sustainability of those conditions; it also commits to caring for children with intellectual disabilities who have no family for their entire lives. ZİÇEV operates a network of education and rehabilitation centres together with residential care homes. According to its own account, it has reached more than 150,000 children and families since 1982, runs 14 branches and 2 residential care centres, and mobilises thousands of volunteers and donors across Turkey. Its service portfolio spans special education and rehabilitation, 24/7 residential care, sports programmes that build physical skills, coordination and self-confidence, and art workshops in painting, music and handicrafts that support emotional expression and creativity. It also runs volunteering and community-participation activities aimed at raising public awareness. The foundation is funded primarily through donations, which it solicits through its website and campaigns, and it presents itself as a civil-society organisation rather than a commercial enterprise. Its history includes rapid branch expansion in the late 1980s, followed by closures caused by economic difficulties and an earthquake, and the transition of its founding leader to Honorary President in 2000. Today ZİÇEV continues to position itself as one of Turkey's most comprehensive providers of residential care and special education for people with intellectual disabilities.

ZİÇEV was founded on 8 March 1982 in Ankara by a group of volunteers under the leadership of Makbule Ölçen. Its founding purpose was to secure adequate education, rehabilitation and care for children with intellectual disabilities in Turkey, to help them gain vocational skills, to guarantee the long-term continuity of such conditions, and to take lifelong responsibility for those with intellectual disabilities who had no family. In 1983 the foundation purchased 155 dönüms of land in the Gölbaşı district from the state for a symbolic price. With support provided by the German Embassy, it built an "Education and Rehabilitation Centre" consisting of an administration building, an education building and a dormitory building, with capacity for 30 day students and 10 residential students. This became the operational base of the young foundation. Starting in 1986 the number of branches grew rapidly, and within a few years 21 branches had been established. However, economic difficulties and an earthquake disaster forced the closure of 6 branches. According to the Turkish Wikipedia account, 15 branches continued to operate and served nearly 1,500 children with intellectual disabilities and their families at that time. The foundation's own website states that it now operates 14 branches and 2 residential care centres and has reached more than 150,000 children and families since 1982. In 2000, at the General Assembly, Makbule Ölçen — who had dedicated her life to people with intellectual disabilities and had lit the first torch of education — voluntarily stepped down from the General Presidency and was unanimously elected Honorary President. The foundation continues to describe itself as a civil-society organisation working across Turkey with education centres, volunteers and donors, and it presents residential care, special education and rehabilitation, sports, art, and volunteering and community participation as its complementary service areas.

• 2000

  At the General Assembly, Makbule Ölçen stepped down as General President and was unanimously elected Honorary President.

• 1986

  Branch expansion began; within a few years 21 branches were established.

• 1983

  Purchased 155 dönüms of land in Gölbaşı from the state for a symbolic price; with German Embassy support built an Education and Rehabilitation Centre with capacity for 30 day students and 10 residential students.

• 1982

  Founded on 8 March in Ankara by a group of volunteers led by Makbule Ölçen.

Non-profit civil-society foundation providing comprehensive education, rehabilitation and residential care for children with intellectual disabilities in Turkey, funded by donations and volunteers.

• Yatılı Bakım Evi (Residential Care Home)

  Provides 24/7 professional care and support for individuals with special needs in a safe, peaceful, home-like environment.

• Özel Eğitim ve Rehabilitasyon (Special Education and Rehabilitation)

  Personalised education programmes supporting individuals' mental, social and academic development.

• Spor (Sports)

  Sports activities that increase physical skills, coordination and self-confidence, supporting both physical and social development.

• Sanat (Art)

  Painting, music and handicraft workshops that strengthen emotional expression and allow creativity to be freely expressed.

• Gönüllü ve Toplum Katılımı (Volunteering and Community Participation)

  Activities aimed at raising social awareness and involving volunteers and the community.

1. 1ZİÇEV: Özel Gereksinimli Çocuklar İçin Eğitim Vakfızicev.org.tr
2. 2Hakkımızda | ZİÇEV Vizyonu, Misyonu ve Değerlerizicev.org.tr
3. 3Türkiye Zihinsel Yetersiz Çocukları Yetiştirme ve Koruma Vakfıtr.wikipedia.org
4. 4Wikidatawikidata.org