Village kids have fun with adrenaline-pumping ‘Köyvivor’

MUŞ

Within the scope of a project named “Köyvivor,” the officials of a youth center in the eastern province of Muş have visited some 15 rural villages and organized competitions for some 2,000 village kids in three years.

“We just want to put a smile on their faces and share their happiness,” Erol Çalışcı, the project coordinator, said on Nov. 21.

The word “Köyvivor,” is derived from the Turkish word “Köy,” which means “village” in English, and popular reality show “Survivor.”

“Until today, we have entertained some 2,000 children. Once the project will be over, the number will be around 3,000,” Çalışcı added.

The youth center officials lately visited Yedipınar, a village some 24 kilometers from the city center, on Nov. 21.

They set up six different racetracks, playing with the village children all day.

“I had a great Sunday with my friends. I was so happy and enjoyed my time,” Fatih Akdeniz, a child who competed in the “Köyvivor,” noted.

According to Çalışcı, other than just having a good time, the project also has another mission. “We figured out that the project encouraged the children to develop an interest in sports.”

Murat Kaymak, an academic from the Muş Alparslan University, is proud to be a part of the project. “We supply university students to take part in this organization. The university students touched the hearts of the province’s village kids,” he said.

Gülsüm Eren is one of those university students who took part in the “Yedipınar Köyvivor.”

“Seeing the children happy makes us happy. Because the opportunities in village life are so limited. We come here and create an event here. Smiles on their faces make us forget our tiredness,” she highlighted.

Survivor is a popular TV reality show, created by Charlie Parsons, where contestants in groups compete to win games by earning more points. Viewers vote for their favorites to select the winner each week and in the final. The series’ Turkish version has been on air since 2005.