Meliha is 35 years old and a mother of two. When the Kahramanmaraş-centred earthquakes struck, her children were still very young. In the aftermath, Meliha Hanım and her family strived to create a safe environment for them. After their home was destroyed, they began living in Hatay İSO Container City.
A Quietly Growing Concern
Today, Adnan Asaf is 4 years old. Over the years, his family began to notice that his speech was more limited than that of other children his age. He could say the words, but struggled to put them together into sentences. When he was unable to express himself, it was not only challenging for him, but also difficult for his family to understand what he needed.
They first thought his condition would improve over time. But as the days went by, it became more apparent that Adnan Asaf found it difficult to express himself. There were things he wanted to say, but explaining them was not easy for him. He sometimes struggled to express his needs, sometimes his feelings, and sometimes his desire to play.
Just when her concern was growing deeper, Meliha Altınöz came across the “Growing Up with Play” project, implemented in Hatay İSO Container City with the collaboration of the Muzaffer Akpınar Foundation (MAV) and the Association for Social Development and Aid Mobilization (ASAM). She believed that this space, where children are supported through play and are able to express themselves safely, would be an important opportunity for Adnan Asaf. Shortly afterwards, she enrolled her son in the activities.
First He Watched, Then He Took Part, Then He Began to Speak More
In the first couple of days, Adnan Asaf did not want to leave his mother’s side and was hesitant to approach other children. Even being in the play area took time for him to get used to. However, with the project team’s warm, patient, and reassuring approach, Adnan Asaf gradually found his own rhythm.
First, he watched his surroundings. Then he took a few steps forward. Then he joined in the play. As he became less shy, he began to speak more.
Today, Adnan Asaf is able to manage more on his own during activities, independently from his mother. He can go up to his friends, engage in play, and try harder to express himself. The sentences he forms have now become a voice that not only his mother can understand, but also those around him.
Meliha Hanım describes how she feels about her son’s progress with the following words:
“In the past, my greatest concern was him not being able to express himself. Now I’ve started dreaming about his future. As a mother, this is a very precious feeling.”
Confidence Built Through Play
Project staff describe Adnan Asaf’s progress as follows:
“Witnessing Adnan Asaf’s progress has been incredibly meaningful for us. This not only means seeing improvement in his speaking skills, but also means seeing him connect more easily with the world around him, build friendships, and become more confident as he finds the words to express himself. At first, he would not play with other children; he would not even go up to them. But, as he regularly attended the activities, he started to make contact with them, play games, and make more effort to express himself. This has been a deeply valuable process for us as well, as this change has given us hope and made our work feel worthwhile.”
For Meliha Altınöz, every sentence her son speaks now represents a dream being rebuilt.
Sentences formed through play are turning into dreams that blossom with hope.