Sexual Health and LGBTI+ Health Project – ALIM SANCAR
Project Partners: Girne Youth Association – Apero Cafe and PAO Burger

The project aimed to raise young people’s awareness of sexual health and LGBTI+ health and provide comprehensive, informative resources in these areas to improve access for young people.
Sexual health and LGBTI+ health are vital topics in our society that are often insufficiently discussed. Treating these subjects as a taboo leads to misinformation and prejudice, especially among young people, contributing to a significant information gap. The Sexual Health and LGBTI+ Health project aimed to reduce this information gap by delivering essential knowledge. Brochures prepared by the experts highlighted the importance of safe and respectful sexual relationships and provided extensive information on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and prevention methods. Thematic discussion events offered young people a space to ask questions and receive answers on sexual health and insights from these discussions were compiled into a report.

By establishing a strategic partnership with a youth-focused civil society organisation, the project reached its target audience while expanding the organisation’s reach. Representatives of the Kyrenia Youth Association noted that youth engagement during thematic events exceeded expectations, with shared experiences helping to break down taboos.

Project partners Apero Cafe and PAO Burger, as youth-focused project partners, helped disseminate project content through their social media channels.

GENÇ FOLK-DER Project – HASAN KAYIPLAR

Project Partners: Folk-Der and Ramadan Cemil Enterprises

During the Covid-19 period and afterwards, many civil society organisations, including the Lefkoşa Folklore Association (FOLK-DER), faced declines in participation and motivation. A young folk-dance player who joined the association and who later developed to be an instructor, Hasan Kayıplar marked his fifteenth year with the association by taking steps to increase the involvement of active young members in decision-making within the organisation, through the SEEing Youth Inspiring The Future Small Grants Programme.

Activities that were implemented under the project engaged 50 children and young people aged 5-17, along with 30 experienced performers, instructors and 50 parents, gathering insights on their expectations, needs and preferences. Data from age-specific art therapy workshops, interactive drama workshops, focus groups and surveys were compiled into a report for the association’s management.

Ramadan Cemil Enterprises, one of the project partners, highlighted the importance of contributing to social responsibility projects that enhance community strength and drive social transformation. The company’s representatives expressed that working with young people brought creativity and fresh perspectives, offering an opportunity to connect with the younger generation.

Multi-Purpose Fire Response Tool Project – İLAYDA TAŞKAYA
Project Partners: Civil Disaster Team Association and Metgin

Cyprus, especially during the summer months, faces a high fire risk. For preventing large-scale forest disasters, it is essential that not only professional teams but also volunteers are equipped. An environmental activist and professional in disaster response, İlayda Taşkaya, aimed to develop a lightweight, portable, multi-functional fire response tool for use by both professionals and volunteers.

As part of the project, forty-three multi-purpose fire response tools were manufactured and refined through field testing.

The Civil Disaster Team, with its active role in recent disasters and extensive volunteer base, formed the primary target group for the project. Working with young volunteers from the Civil Disaster Team also enhanced the resources available to firefighting professionals. Civil Disaster Team officials noted that the project significantly demonstrated how young people could tackle a societal issue and find practical solutions.

Let’s Speak the Same Language Project – IRMAK BEKTAŞOĞLU
Project Partners: Human Rights Platform – Refugee Rights Association and Tunga Medya

Language is the primary tool for being part of a community, socialising with peers and experiencing life to the fullest. In recent years, the number of children at public primary schools who do not speak Turkish has increased due to migration in the northern part of Cyprus. Children unable to communicate in Turkish face barriers not only in adapting to the curriculum but also in integrating into the local society.

Within the scope of the project, sixty-four hours of Turkish lessons and activities were conducted for fourteen primary school children from migrant and refugee backgrounds who do not speak Turkish. Three main teachers led classes focusing on basic A1-level Turkish topics, such as letters, numbers, colours, etc., while activity organisers and trainers used alternative teaching methods, such as creative drama and storytelling, to better engage the children. The design and implementation of the project were guided by the principle of creating a safe and inclusive learning environment. Throughout the training sessions, which took place during July and August 2024, every stage was meticulously planned and implemented—from communicating with families in their native languages and providing the necessary school supplies for the children to transporting them from their homes by shuttle service and tailoring the curriculum to meet their needs, designed by expert teachers.

The project’s CSO partners, the Human Rights Platform and the Refugee Rights Association, emphasised that the careful planning and execution of the project, inspired by a young activist’s enthusiasm for this field, also contributed to their own organisations’ work.

Caretta Caretta Beach Cleaning Robot Project – MUSTAFA KEMAL AMBAR
Project Partners: Famagusta Walled City Association – Kocareis

The project involved the design and production of a turtle-shaped robot created to combat microplastic pollution on the beaches. Named Caretta Caretta, the robot was developed by a young team led by Mustafa Kemal Ambar, aimed at collecting small plastic pieces, cigarette butts, plastic caps and other waste. This project combines technology with an eco-friendly approach to contribute to beach cleaning and raise public awareness on this issue, ultimately aiming to reduce beach pollution and protect natural habitats.

As part of the project, the team led by Mustafa Kemal Ambar designed the robot with careful consideration of environmental factors such as weather conditions in Cyprus and the structure of sand on beaches. The robot’s body also serves as an example of the upcycling principle, reusing waste materials like plastic bottle caps. Additionally, informative leaflets on beach cleaning and environmental protection were prepared for children.

The CSO project partner Famagusta Walled City Association has conducted extensive work on waste in the sea and on the beaches for many years. This organisation, which frequently runs awareness initiatives in schools to foster environmental consciousness, added a “technological volunteer” to its activities through this project.

Next time you visit a beach in Famagusta, you might see the Caretta Caretta beach cleaning robot in action, cleaning up microplastics.

Informing and Supporting Relatives of Dementia Patients Project – SILA BİRDAL
Project Partners: Alzheimer’s Association – The Good Food Trading

In the northern part of Cyprus, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s and dementia increases with age, similar to other countries. Particularly among individuals aged 65 and over, the risk of Alzheimer’s doubles every five years, reaching one in two for those aged 85 and above. According to research reports by the Alzheimer’s Association, there is a significant gap in the provision of education, information, and support on neurological diseases by the public sector. It is concerning that information on the care of such illnesses is largely accessed from open sources, carers lack formal training and there are insufficient resources for psychological support.

The Informing and Supporting Relatives of Dementia Patients project aimed to raise awareness about neurological diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s in the northern part of Cyprus and provide psychological and educational support to carers.

Through online training meetings, carers were able to receive direct information from experts, while face-to-face physical exercise activities and clay work provided a refreshing experience for both patients and their carers.

Project partners emphasised that working with young people acts as an important bridge to reach youth and that collaboration between the private sector and CSOs is a strengthening experience that contributes to social benefit.

Green Hub Project – TUĞBA YILMAZ
Project Partners: Cyprus Green Action Group – KMC Consulting – ASM Recycling Ltd.

“Green Hub” was designed to create a community that promotes sustainable living, with the aim of encouraging young people to adopt environmental awareness in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Led by Tuğba Yılmaz, the project structured Green Hub as a community that advocates environmentalism, veganism and nature conservation. The project aimed to change unsustainable lifestyle habits over time by sharing the negative impacts of these habits on nature and human health with the public.

Through social media, the project shared content on sustainable living and conscious consumption and organised activities such as awareness meetings, recycling efforts, training sessions and nature clean-ups.

Project partners highlighted the advantage of a project designed and led by a young person, which enabled faster and more effective engagement with young audiences. They also noted that youth-led projects, when carried out in collaboration with more experienced and resourceful institutions within the framework of corporate social responsibility, facilitate inter-sectoral and inter-generational experience sharing and enable reaching diverse audiences.