The things I learned at school, as well as, the creative activities and sports I participated in, all made school more attractive to me. This entire process of education, the key factor contributing to the development of each country, made me what I am today…A global minded and diligent business woman who seeks to be a role model for many young girls.

The individual sports we take part in at school give us self confidence and teach us the qualities necessary to stand alone in life while team sports teach us the importance of team work which is critical in a business environment. Learning a foreign language is also a key factor in an individual's development. It provides one with the ability to communicate and exchange information with people from other countries thereby developing intercultural awareness.

Unfortunately, there are children in some places of Turkey who still are not able to  attend secondary school because their parents cannot afford to send them. They are therefore unable to take up a profession. This is especially true for girls who become mothers at a very young age and need to benefit from a secondary education in order to change their situation.

The following story summarizes what you can mean for these girls. A man, walking along the coast of the ocean meets a person who is throwing something away into the sea in a hasty manner. When he comes close to the man he realizes that the man is throwing starfishes into the sea and asks him: "Why are you throwing these starfishes into the sea?" While continuing to throw the starfishes, the man answers: “To keep them alive”. The first man is puzzled by this answer and remarks "That’s fine, but there are thousands of starfishes on the beach and it is impossible to throw all of them into the sea. What will change if you throw them into the sea?" The man takes one starfish and throws it into the sea and answers: "Look, for this one something has changed".

In the same way, you can also change the life of one girl by enabling her receive invaluable vocational training and education through Anne Fonds.

Semiha Unal