Photos

(NB : frame inspired by our friend Polonaise ; I like the 3 groups of children here, the ones in the far in the stairways and near the entrance are more visible in the colour version but I thought that otherwise it looks much better in B&W).

Taken the day when most of the schools in Turkey were closing for the summer holidays (June 13th), but this happy and very special school is open all year long : about half of the children there have a mental handicap and it would be too difficult for the parents who are working to take care of them.

So, the children will go on picnic and do some other excursions, play in the nearby playground and have some fun in the classes with their teachers, while those whose family go on holiday won't be present during the summer months.

(I wanted to show here that even if they look "different", the ones in the FG are children like all the children, their expressions (IMO) a bit shy, but happy nonetheless... I've fallen in love with this school, there is such a friendly climate inside, the teachers are extremely soft and positive, this is a "model" school with progressive ideas, I admire a lot what they are doing).

After I had taken the portrait of the manager in her office, they stepped out of the group : they wanted a photo too and chose this pose. During my two visits there, I noticed that there was no border between handicaped children and the other ones, they were learning and playing together without making any distinction as if they were not noticing any more the "differences". Each of them very happy, cute, natural and affectionate...

The fact of mixing together handicaped children and the others can only be positive for everyone, including for the parents, there should be many more of those schools in the world but it is difficult to organize as it takes so many more staff, so more patience, attention and care (and funds too : partly funded by the state). Their policy of admission is remarkable too as the parents of the poorest children don't have to pay as much ; children are coming from the neighbourhood and also from far away.