Hello Everyone! My name is Noor and I am currently an Intern at Istanbul&I, a youth-led NGO in Istanbul, Turkey. So far at Istanbul&I, I have had a very positive experience with the people I have met, the events they organize, and have been inspired and in awe with the dedication and passion the Executive Board and volunteers put into the unpaid, solely altruistic work they do.
Through the short time that I’ve been here, I have come to understand that the way they combat hate and prejudice is through social inclusion and exposure events, as well as encouraging volunteerism towards diverse, displaced communities. This is something that I have always strongly believed in, and involved myself with especially in high school. After coming to Istanbul&I, I have observed that with a passionate set of individuals, these events can and do run and work successfully on an even larger scale. This gives me hope for implementing the changes I want to see made, despite feeling defeated following all of the devastating events these past two years have bestowed upon us.
Having spent many hours in the office with some amazing individuals, I have noticed some things that could be enhanced which would greatly benefit the organization and its events. Some of these include, but are not limited to: an effective sound system and microphone, a storage system, transportation costs for Youth4Youth initiative beneficiaries to reach our office space, animal food and shelter-building materials for the Animal Rights Project, and other general expenses for our community maintenance.
In hopes of supporting the organization in all the ways I am able to, I made this GoFundme in hopes of providing them with some of the monetary assistance that they need to stay vibrant and efficient. I have plenty high hopes Istanbul&I and envision its future as a fully funded organization with salary paid Board Members. Therefore, I encourage you to be a part of its initial successes and help us lay down the foundations we need to build something bigger and beautiful!!Any donation truly helps maintain the welfare-oriented, inclusive and diverse community we foster at I&I.
Please check out our website https://istanbulandi.org.tr/en and follow us on social media @istanbulandi for more information, pictures and details about our events!