“These gifts felt like a whole new world for my students,” shared primary school teacher Raziye in a note, after receiving book sets from Bridge to Türkiye Fund. Her words say it all.
The moment the books arrived at Yolaldı Primary School in Mardin, excitement filled the room. Students couldn’t wait to explore the stories waiting for them – some didn’t even let the books reach the shelves before they were already flipping through pages. Their eyes lit up with joy, especially when they discovered books that matched their own interests.
The joy quickly spread beyond one classroom. The books were shared with the entire primary group, and Raziye saw the same spark of curiosity and happiness in every child’s eyes.
Reading is a collective activity at Yolaldı. On sunny days, Raziye holds reading sessions outdoors in the school garden. As the children read more together, she’s noticed their friendships growing stronger and their empathy shining through, even during playtime.
This change is no coincidence. A study involving over 10,000 young adolescents in the U.S. has found that children who start reading for pleasure at an early age generally show stronger cognitive performance and better mental health as they reach adolescence. Shared reading experiences, especially at an early age, are also known to build focus, confidence, and empathy.
Tonight, and on many nights to come, some of these young readers will take books home – falling asleep with stories in their hands, stories now carrying dreams and inspiration into their lives. All of this has been made possible by the generosity of our BTF supporters.
If this sounds inspiring, you can join our mission through the Adopt A Classroom program and help us bring the magic of books to even more children across Türkiye!
