Helping children return to day-to-day life.

With the urgent wish to provide targeted, long-term support, Sema Güleryüz joined forces with the Lions Club Coburg to establish the “Coburg Helps Antakya” aid project, raising funds to rebuild schools which were destroyed. The aim was to rebuild and equip six primary, middle and secondary schools on the outskirts of the city. A great deal had to be accomplished in a short space of time in order to help children return to day-to-day life after theirs had been turned upside down.

Sema Güleryüz and her project partner contacted headteachers, asked what they needed and negotiated with suppliers. In order to generate donations, they launched successful private fundraising drives and organised public events. With the Lions Club Coburg acting as the donor and trustee, and with additional support from the Mercedes-Benz staff initiative ProCent, much has been achieved. The project “Coburg Helps Antakya” is still active today, and donations continue to come in. There is still a lot to do, and Sema Güleryüz is making sure that more schools can be rebuilt and that donations go directly where they are required.