Our Mission
The purpose of the foundation is to provide an environment where every child can develop their unique physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual abilities through art and love, in a peaceful, mindful setting that respects Mother Earth and utilizes energy and natural resources correctly without harming the natural cycle. This development takes place while the child learns through play and gains confidence. In line with this goal, the foundation has established an educational farm where children with limited access to education are invited, regardless of language, race, ethnicity, gender, or religion.
Our Foundation’s Story, Written by Prof. Dr. A. Alev Gerçeker on Its Founding Day;
"In 2011, when we purchased the land in PaÅŸaköy, a village neighboring the ancient city of Assos, our goal was to establish a farm where we could invite children aged 9-12, whose one or both parents were no longer alive or whose families could not afford to give them a summer vacation. We wanted to create a summer camp environment that would bring happiness to these children. In doing so, we embraced a holistic Waldorf pedagogy, one that centers the child, recognizes them as an individual, and supports their creativity, learning ability, imagination, willpower, and optimism. Our strength comes from Mother Earth’s abundance, science, art, and love.
With this aim in mind, when we acquired the land, our first step was to plant walnuts, various fruit trees, and grapevines, based on the results of soil analyses, believing that this would contribute to both the summer camp and the foundation we were establishing. Later, we built two buildings. One houses the children’s dormitory, laboratory, and our living space, while the other contains the rooms for volunteers, our kitchen, and our library. In 2017, when we completed our pergola, which we named Helios, where we hold workshops such as painting, music, dance, crafts, theater, and cinema, "GüneÅŸane" was ready to serve its purpose as a summer camp.
The first volunteer who supported GüneÅŸane was Christa Meissner, a co-founder of the Heidelberg Waldorf School and an art history teacher, whom we met through Doris Pontow, an advisor to the Alanya Waldorf School. Christa played a crucial role in the formation of our camp during the first two years. Since 2019, we have been fortunate to receive expert support from AyÅŸe Tuzlacı, a board member of the Friends of the Arts of Education Association , who has made significant contributions to adapting this system to our culture. University student volunteers, who assist children in their daily life at the farm, have become an indispensable part of the summer camps. Our volunteers enrich the camp by offering workshops based on their skills, while also having the opportunity to experience the system we’ve created.
For the past three years, we have been collaborating with DarüÅŸÅŸafaka to bring 5th-grade students to our farm, and we plan to offer this opportunity to other children who need the same in the future.
The fundamental principle of our summer camp on the farm is an ecological approach that respects Mother Earth. Our dream is for every child to awaken the sun hidden within the seeds of kindness we plant in their hearts, and for these children to illuminate society with that light."
March 8, 2021