Youths visit the ‘great outdoors’
TURKISH teacher Ayşe Öztoprak swapped the North Cyprus classroom for an entrepreneurial Camp Cyprus venture taking education into the “great outdoors”.
The start-up, in association with the SOS Children’s Village and their Girne-based youth centre Gigem, aims to “give children the chance to experience nature, learn yoga and the soft skills of leadership, social values and teamwork”, according to Ms Öztoprak.
The İstanbul-born preschool teacher, who originally trained as an engineer, said of the decision to embark on the venture last year: “I was very lucky as I went to the English School of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and my parents sent me to Switzerland for onemonth summer camps from the age of seven . . .
“I really wanted my own daughter to have that and during my 18 years teaching I began to organise summer camps myself. In the end, teaching in school got in the way of my real passion.
“In schools and at home in our culture we subject youngsters to lots of don’ts, nos and keep aways.”
The English-language camps, from 10am to 2pm on the first Saturday of every month, are priced at 100TL per child, and Ms Öztoprak added: “Private schools are already involved and I am launching a Saturday School Plus One project so that more fortunate families may subsidise less fortunate kids by paying double the fee for their child.”
Two weekend camps this month for groups of around 15 seven- to 12-year-olds also saw youngsters trade smartphones for beach cleaning and games, photo hunts, mandala and treasure maps and a trip to Girne castle.
“Twister yoga”, kite-flying and a tallest tower sand castle contest were all on offer as well as history and culture, art and nature, street team games and campfire cooking of “sucuk” sausage and marshmallows at sites from Denizkızı to Sardunya beaches and St Hilarion castle.
“We plan to stage an Easter camp and two week camps throughout the summer holidays as well as events on national holidays like April 23, when we plan a kite-flying day, and May 19.
“We have a Turkish expert in leadership and nature, and student volunteers who are keen to join us.”
Ms Öztoprak added: “Each person comes to camp expecting to meet and make new friends, but you end up with a family! [Afterwards] you won’t only miss the people you became a family with but also miss the person you have become yourself.”
For more information, call Camp Cyprus on 0533 882 3672.