Ayşenur Sena Tarakçı – Pigmentsiz İnsan (Non-Pigmented Person)

Ayşenur Sena Tarakçı is a person with albinism. She faced significant challenges with her teachers and peers due to a 95-percent vision loss caused by albinism. In high school, she endured bullying and alienating comments from classmates because of her white skin and hair. After graduating high school with the help of assistive technology, Ayşenur first studied law and then communication at university. She is currently working in the private sector, focusing on accessibility. She has a rare type of albinism, a genetic disorder affecting only one in a million people. She was motivated to take action after learning that her albinism might lead to other health issues and after the death of her cousin, who also had albinism. Ayşenur took to social media, using the username “Pigmentsiz İnsan” (Non- Pigmented Person). She produced videos on diverse topics, ranging from assistive technology for those with albinism to the bullying they face. She also began creating videos on cosmetic products to challenge traditional beauty norms. Ayşenur has reached nearly 80,000 people, and her videos have garnered millions of views.

Elif Oğuzbal Çatıkkaş & Yasemin Kırkağaçlıoğlu – Kokopelli Şehirde (Kokopelli in the City)

Elementary school friends Elif Çatıkkaş and Yasemin Kırkağaçlıoğlu, after many years in corporate careers, reunited in 2017 to establish Kokopelli Şehirde (Kokopelli in the City). They were driven by a nostalgic yearning for their nature-filled childhoods, a pursuit of healthy food, and a commitment to making a positive impact on the planet. Through Kokopelli in the City, they continue working on issues such as plant systems, animal systems, and composting, and providing training to individuals and institutions to spread ecological living practices in urban settings. To reach a wider audience, Elif and Yasemin founded the Yaşam İçin Toprak Derneği (Soil for Life Association) They began collaborating with schools to provide hands-on training for teachers and students through the Self- Sufficient School Gardens project. They also partner with organizations to establish urban orchards on their premises and conduct sustainable living workshops. Elif and Yasemin’s initiatives have reached nearly 5,000 people so far.

Gülçin Cömert – Antandros Derneği (Antandros Association)

Gülçin Cömert, who returned to her hometown of Bandırma to start working after university, worked in the communication departments of various municipalities. In 1999, with the goal of preserving the region’s cultural heritage and shedding light on the ancient city of Antandros, Gülçin led a team of volunteers to establish the Antandros Association. With support from Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, Edremit Municipality, and local stakeholders, the Association meets the needs of excavation teams to ensure the continuation of excavations, promotes the area through awareness initiatives, and strengthens the local community’s connection to the ancient city. Activities are carried out to designate the Ancient City of Antandros as an archaeological site, provide scholarships to archaeology students, raise awareness among citizens, conduct archaeological studies with children and teachers, participate in fairs to promote the region, and produce culturally authentic items to generate income for local women. The Antandros Association has engaged nearly 4,000 children in archaeology and has introduced thousands of people to ancient cities and the local culture through its initiatives.

Hale Uçuş – Engelsiz Matematik Eğitim Platformu (Barrier-Free Mathematics Education Platform)

Hale Uçuş faced challenges in primary school, as she began speaking later than her peers. With the support of her teachers and family, she successfully completed her high school education. She then achieved her dream of becoming a teacher. Motivated by a visually impaired student in her first class, she turned her focus to the mathematics education of visually impaired students. She used large fonts and three-dimensional materials to effectively teach mathematics to her student. Seeing her student’s success further fueled her passion for this field. She continued to support other visually impaired students online through the ENMEP (Barrier- Free Mathematics Education Platform) initiative. In 2020, she founded the Inclusive and Accessible Life Association, bringing together volunteer teachers and families of visually impaired children to support her mission. She continues to work with visually impaired students both online and in person, while also developing content that includes accessible educational materials for teachers. She also creates math-focused videos on YouTube to reach a broader audience of visually impaired students. Through her efforts, Hale Uçuş has reached over 250 visually impaired individuals and more than 30 teachers.

Sibel Kaya – Let’s Sign

Born to deaf parents, Sibel Kaya, a hearing child, navigated her quiet childhood using sign language. During her first visit to a park, Sibel noticed that other children communicated with their lips instead of their hands. Initially, she was rejected from school because she could not speak. She experienced hearing loss due to an accident at home and has been using hearing aids since the age of 12. Drawing from her life experiences, she founded Let’s Sign, a social initiative aimed at creating an accessible world for the deaf, hearing impaired, and anyone interested in learning sign language. Sibel saw a disparity between the Turkish Language Association’s Dictionary, which contains nearly 600,000 words, and the Turkish Sign Language Dictionary, which has only 2,000 signs. She concluded that this limits deaf individuals’ ability to communicate and live independently. Through Let’s Sign, she works to improve their Turkish literacy skills and raise awareness of the issue through social media engagement. Meanwhile, she collaborates with linguists to enrich the vocabulary of Turkish Sign Language and introduce new terms to the deaf community. Through Let’s Sign, inspired by her own experiences and those of her family, she has reached nearly 20,000 people and contributed 230 new signs to Turkish Sign Language so far.

Yeşim Bekyürek - Cappadocia Organic Agriculture Producers Association

She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Plant Protection and later completed a Ph.D. in entomology, the study of insects. She wasassigned to Kayseri, where she dedicated 20 years to studying conventional agriculture. She turned to organic farming after a family of producers consulted her for advice. She undertook extensive training to advance in this field and, in 2009, joined with others to establish the Cappadocia Organic Agriculture Producers Association. Since 2013, they have partnered with Kocasinan Municipality to establish a producers’ market that provides organic certified products to consumers and remains the only continuous seasonal market. Gender equality is emphasized at the market. Each family is required to have a female member present to set up a stall at the market. In 2017, in collaboration with Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, the Association established the Natural Products Garden, which includes dedicated areas for anyone wanting to experiment with organic farming. The Association provides training for those interested in working in this garden. Yeşim and the Cappadocia Organic Agriculture Producers Association initially worked with seven producer families on 20 acres. Today, they have grown to 34 producer families on 170 acres.

Founder of Cappadocia Organic Agriculture Producers Association Yeşim Bekyürek published a free online “Organic Agriculture Application Guide” which will be a road map for new beginners in organic agriculture.

Ayşenur Sena Tarakçı using the username Non Pigmented Person opened a new website (www.pigmentsizinsan.com) where she shares her experiences on albinism and independent living.

Barrier-Free Mathematics Education Platform led by Hale Uçuş reached record-breaking numbers of students and aldo volunteers. Total numbers she reached in one year with the Changemakers Support Program equals to the number she previously reached in 6 years. The platform supports 174 blind students with 90 volunteers.