Education is Power

Sometimes there is no need to write to much word in a report, just leave the floor to whom has words to tell you, here is the story of a young landscape architect who to be.

"Hi, I would like to tell you my adventure.

I was born in Buldan where is a small town of Denizli. I completed primary, secondary and high school life in Buldan. I have never traveled to Denizli alone that is only 45 minutes away from Buldan during my education years. My mom and dad never given permission to such things because such things like that were not welcomed where I live. At the end I was graduated from Highschool.

However, I did not get the result I wanted in the University exam I entered at 12th grade. This made me very sad not to be able to afford the labor that my family has given me more than my own labor. Because my brother and sister along with me, were also going to school.

I was very determined to go to university that I wanted. So I decided to re-prepare for the University exam. I think this was a big turning point in my life. I thought that I was growing up. As a result of this decision, I decided to start from the beginning. So I picked up new textbooks and made plan for another one year.

I shutdowned myself between home and classroom for 1 year. Sometimes I got tired but never gave up and I took the university exam. When the results are disclosed, I sat with my parents and talked about where I wanted to go, where I wanted to study.

I wanted to go after my dreams. I wanted to be an architect. As a city I thought to write near the town where I lived. Because someone like me who could not even get to the center for 45 minutes away of course was afraid of going away for university education.

It was a big step forward for me to go to someplace far way from where I used to live. I choose one of faculty that I wanted but it was in a remote location; Edirne / Trakya University Landscape Architecture Department. As a result of the exam , I learned that I passed the exam. After that, I experienced a lot of emotions like happiness, excitement and fear. I trusted myself but, of course, there was always a thought in my head "'Could it be so far away, alone?'

In addition to this, many people around me were telling me the same thing ; '' It's too far, you can not go alone, you come back soon, forget going to university, why you are trying so much to go to university"

But I did not hear what they sait and I did not changed my mind. In this period, I met Buldan Education and Solidarity Association. I applied for scholarship and I got one. Beside this, there was a lot of financial and moral support. They have always been with me and they continue to be. For many girls like me they are always very supportive .

I am currently a 2nd year student at Edirne Trakya University Landscape Architecture Department. I finished the 1st class by entering the 4th and 10% percent in the class. My next goal is to be a very successful woman in my profession. I promise my supporters in the Buldan Training and Solidarity Association that I will be confidently moving forward with my goals and one day I will support a girl like me. For the time being, I only work for the foundation projects as a volunteer."

Dear Buldan Foundation Fellow,

 As you know, we have just launched a new project called "Education is Power" that aims to provide scholarship for girls. We do not want to say to much and leave the floor to a student who is one of our succesfull girls, she wrote a letter for you, here it is ;

 “I am writing to you from Istanbul. I was born in Buldan where a small town in Denizli. I went to primary school in Buldan, then I was accepted to a High School of Science in Mugla. At first, my parents didn't want me to send to another city even if it is two hours away from my mother town. Because I was 14 years old and I was a girl. In small towns like Buldan, it doesn't necessary for a girl to go to high school in another city. What is more, they even don't go to university usually. Anyway, there was not any good high school in Buldan. At least, my parents understood the importance of going this school for me. I spent four years there, I stayed at dormitory. Conditions of this school wasn't good at all. We were staying 6 people in a room. We had not enough space to work. Older students were bullying us while we were junior student at dormitory. Despite the fact that it was a hard school, my performance was not enough because of these conditions. I wanted to leave this school many times. But My family reminded me every time that it was my choice and I could not give up every difficulty that I faced. After the high school, there was an exam to be accepted for universities. My results weren’t enough for my goal. Then I studied one more year for this exam and my dreams finally came true, but there was a problem. Although I wanted to be an architect, my parents wanted me to attend faculty of medicine, since being a doctor in Turkey means a guaranteed future. However, I made my choice and I choose Istanbul Technical University to be an architecture student. It is the best architecture faculty of Turkey. At first my parents scared of cost of my education. Because living in Istanbul is expensive. Before I went to school, I met Board of Buldan Foundation just before it was established. I was lucky, they supported me several times and they provided scholarships not only for me but also girls like me. Then Buldan Vakf was established and now Foundation is working for supporting girls who are university student. Now beside my school, I have new hobbies such as mountaineering and climbing. My next goal is learning French and I want to go to France as an Erasmus Student. I enjoy my life and my profession. I would like to thank to everyone in my life. Lastly, thank you for reading this.

Sincerely yours, 

A Girl From Buldan “