Sports, arts thrive at Türkiye’s care houses for young residents

Meltem Özgenç – ISTANBUL

In Türkiye’s “Sevgi Evleri,” a project initiated by the Family and Social Services Ministry to provide care for orphans and children in need, young residents are achieving remarkable success in sports and the arts.

The houses aim to nurture children in a family-like environment, with a focus on their overall development and well-being.

The ministry recently announced that over 2,000 children living in children’s homes are actively engaged in licensed sports across more than 14 disciplines.

Notably, 46 of these children have earned the honor of wearing the national jersey as part of Türkiye’s national sports teams.

Officials highlighted the growing interest among girls in strength-based sports such as rugby, wrestling, weightlifting and boxing.

“We operate our own sports clubs where 2,134 children participate as licensed athletes,” a ministry spokesperson shared with the daily Hürriyet. “Among them, 46 children represent Türkiye as national athletes across diverse sports, including badminton, rugby, boxing, and wushu. We are especially proud of the increasing number of girls excelling in physically demanding disciplines.”

Beyond sports, the project also fosters creativity and cultural engagement. A total of 2,229 (1,378 girls and 851 boys) participate in artistic and cultural activities such as painting, handicrafts, music, ballet, drama, poetry, ceramics and robotics.

Music is a significant focus, with 639 children learning to play instruments ranging from the piano, violin and guitar to traditional Turkish instruments like the ney, tambur and kanun.

Th project offers more than just a safe space for children. Unlike traditional orphanages, these homes accommodate no more than four children per house, with a maximum of 12-13 children per building, ensuring a close-knit and nurturing environment.

The homes also include activity spaces and play areas, encouraging social and personal development.

The children’s achievements extend to national and international arenas.

Weightlifter Dilay E. from Konya achieved third place in the 64-kilogram category at the Inter-School Weightlifting Championship organized by the Turkish Weightlifting Federation in April.

Şeyma T., a wrestler from Bingöl, earned third place in the International Wrestling Victory Tournament held in Antalya in March.

The Men's Football Team in Aydın ranked 9th in the world at the 9th Hope for Mundial Nursing Homes Football Tournament, which was held in August in Warsaw, Poland, with the participation of 27 countries.