SATW .. bridging continents ...
Instanbul to US
In 2007, our associate office in Instanbul, Turkey set out to assist the best students from a number of schools which all operate under one umbrella as the best state-owned schools in Tunceli.
The province of Tunceli, which is located in East Anatolia, is one of the most undeveloped and poorest areas of Turkey.
Through the hard work of our colleagues in Instanbul seven high-school students preparing for University entrance exams were given the opportunity of a lifetime. The students had never travelled to another country and to visit the US was never more than a dream for them.
The programme started with a three day visit to Istanbul which included site seeing and a boat trip on the Bosphorus. Clients and colleagues were also invited on the boat trip giving the students a chance to meet and talk to them about their aspirations. Two of the students who aimed to be lawyers were invited to one of the best law firms in Turkey to experience the environment and meet the lawyers there.
Thanks to colleagues in New York the students were treated to an action packed 4 day visit to NYC which included a baseball game in the Mets' Stadium, a trip to the Natural History museum and lunch at C&W global headquarters with president and CEO Bruce Mosler.
The students spent a further few days in Washington where they saw the Senate, the White House and were given a tour of the United Nations Building.
Didem Erendil in Instanbul who was instrumental in organising the programme on behalf of SATW said:
"In my personal opinion, I can feel the difference with these kids before and after the trip. They feel more confident as they have achieved a great deal; they have been given a big chance and inspiration to reach their goals. The things they imagined before have become a reality and I believe they are more aware of the world outside of where they live in. This will help them make more conscious decisions for their future. They have kept in touch with us and know that there are people who care about them, whom they can relate to. This creates a great confidence and hope for them for their future."
