Turkey’s football clubs raise money for children
ISTANBUL – Demirören News Agency
Revna Demirören (C), the president of the Life Sharing and Solidarity Foundation, and his husband Yıldırım Demirören (2R), chair of the Turkish Football Federation and Demirören Holding, pose with Mustafa Çalışkan, chief of Istanbul Police Department, and Monik İpekel, a board member of the Life Sharing and Solidarity Foundation.
The “Life Sharing and Solidarity” foundation has brought Turkey’s five biggest football clubs together in a bid to offer a helping hand to children with mental illnesses and physical disabilities and the children of killed and wounded members of the Turkish security forces.
An event with the theme “Football World through Their [Children’s] Eyes” was organized at the Grand Pera Emek Hall in Istanbul on Dec. 3 evening with the participation of many famous names from the worlds of football, arts, and business.
The event aimed at raising money for the construction of a rehabilitation and special education center to achieve education equality for children in need.
“We have been working very hard to complete the construction of the Rehabilitation and Special Education Center in Bağcılar [district of] Istanbul. We plan to open the institution in March 2019,” Revna Demirören, the president of the Life Sharing and Solidarity Foundation, said in her speech during the organization.
The project has given children the chance to meet star footballers. As part of the project, children of killed and wounded security forces members, as well as children with disabilities, have met with football players in football facilities, watched footballers prepare for the game in the locker rooms, stands and courtsides and had their photos taken.
Also, as part of the project, signed uniforms sold at an auction have raised 15,000 Turkish Liras ($2,800) for the children.
Photos of football players taken by children were also sold. With the revenue generated, the final needs for the rehabilitation center will be fulfilled and support will be given to the families of killed security forces members, Demirören said.
