The association Augenhöhe e.V. was dissolved on March 31, 2021. This website is for historical reference only. 

Here you see a detailed description of our partner projects in Diyarbakır and Van.

Göç Vakfi (Migration Foundation)

Another important project in Diyarbakır is Göç Vakfi (Migration Foundation), which studies the cause of increasing migration into urban areas and the problems that this entails, particularly for women and children. This foundation, which was established in 1999 in Mersin, has been working in Diyarbakır from 2010 and has since been offering a variety of activities, particularly to children from lower-income families.

As a result of financial support, Göç Vakfi was able to establish a scholarship programme for primary school children, which funds school utensils and clothing. The beneficiaries are also looked after beyond school, to facilitate their cultural and social participation in society. Among others, they have the opportunity to attend the theatre and concerts and take part in extracurricular activities. The families of the children are visited on a regular basis, when they are offered counselling in case of any conflicts or problems.

The foundation further organises events to educate the target group about their rights, in order to strengthen the awareness of themselves as independently acting individuals and to highlight the importance and give first-hand experience of a life without violence. These issues are dealt with in regular seminars, gatherings, one-to-one conversations, counselling sessions, and social and cultural activities.

Thanks to funding from abroad and from the municipality of Diyarbakır, a children’s centre founded on the educational principles of Montessori will open in August 2013. Children from lower-income families will have access to a variety of activities in culture (theatre and music), learning (tutoring, foreign languages and debating societies), media education (film and photography) and sports. As required, these groups will be offered in different languages such as Kurdish, Turkish, German or English.

For more information, please go to www.sarmasik.org and www.gocvakfi.org

Sarmaşık

The association „Sarmaşık – Yoksullukla Mücadele ve Sürdürebilir Kalkinma Dernegi“ (in English: “Ivy – Federation for an Advanced and Improved Development and for Poverty Reduction”) has been trying to counter the difficult situation in Diyarbakır since 2006, supported by 32 institutions, labour unions, entrepreneurs and municipalities.

The “secret capital” for the Kurds, also known as Amed, with its 1.3 million inhabitants is in a daily struggle against a lack of prospects, poverty and unemployment. In the early 1990s, hundreds of thousands of people in the Kurd areas of Eastern Turkey had been victims of attacks by the Turkish army and paramilitary groups as part of the Turkish-Kurdish conflict. Numerous villages were destroyed and many people lost not only members of their families, but their entire livelihoods. Within just a few years, Diyarbakır witnessed immense migration of Kurds from the immediate surroundings as well as from farther afield. The primary aim of Sarmaşık is to permanently eradicate poverty through targeted projects, but also to make sure the city’s needy population is supplied with basic everyday necessities.

To start with, following a statistical survey that ascertained the extent of the poverty in all districts of the city, they have established a food bank (Gıda Bankası). People in need can be registered there and receive a certain amount of food free of charge, which is determined according to the level of neediness. Using their ration card, each person decides for herself/himself, which requirement she/he wishes to satisfy first. This project currently involves 2000 people and is supported by 45 other organisations.

Another important project so far provides 120 youth with training for the soon to be implemented construction of natural gas infrastructure in the city, which will give them much better prospects in the local labour market. Furthermore, this project will improve their standing in society as a whole and it will reduce the focus on the political grievances in the region. So far, 120 young people have participated in this programme.

Thirdly, Sarmaşık coordinates partnerships for pupils of all ages. Beyond financial backing for paying tuition fees, the children and young people receive educational encouragement and support until they finish school. Further measures to promote academic achievement as well as extracurricular activities are intended to improve the social life of the children and young people. They have, among others, access to homework assistance and can take part in theatre workshops, folklore groups and choir singing.