Yuzumle Mutluyum Dernegi – Happy Faces Association
1.What does your NGO do to support people with disfigurements?
We provide free support, information and psychological services to individuals with visible facial differences. We offer free psychological support to our families with our volunteer psychologist team. We help individuals to deal with undesired behaviours, to gain self-esteem, and offer guidance on how to overcome problems.
We inform our families about the diagnosis and treatment of facial anomalies with our document resources as well. We also provide free legal support in the solution of the problems experienced by our individuals in the school and work life. We also offer support in following up any hate crimes that they are exposed to. We come together with our families to do workshops and we organise social activities such as family retreats, exhibitions, theatre visits and concerts.
We encourage individuals to realise their potential and share their own stories with the public.
2. What does face equality mean to you?
We aim to contribute to social awareness, ensuring that people are accepted and evaluated as who they are, rather than their facial appearance. This approach must be accepted by all society members. We should all focus on inner value and smash any prejudices. Equal opportunities should be given to people with visible differences.
3. What has your NGO got planned for international face equality week 2019?
We have various plans to raise awarenessforinternational face equality week.
- One of our champion videos will be shared across media channels.
- Famous singers and artists will support our campaign as well. Our board members will participate to TV and radio
- ‘Wonder’ the movie will be shown in schools and students will prepare presentations about face equality.
- We are members of Eurordis ( rare disesase network of Europe), we will participate in the annual meeting between 16-19th May in Bucharest where we’ll meet more than 200 participants and represent FEI, inviting them to FED actions.
4. What are your hopes for the international face equality movement and what would you like the movement to achieve in the future? How does your NGO fit into this?
We believe that we are stronger together. Face Equality International will raise awareness as butterfly effect. The global movement provides support to members from USA to Taiwan and this movement accelerates the effect of worldwide campaigns. We hope our alliance will contribute to the ‘ideal, equal World’ idea. Yuzumle Mutluyum Dernegi is just one year old but we have been chosen as the most inspiring association of Turkey, in a very short time. . We will continue to spread face equality to all people.
Zeynep Cakir, 27, Lawyer and Board Member of Yuzumle Mutluyum Dernegi
“I have no problem with my community but society has problems with my appearance. I am a lawyer, I was told that I can’t do my profession because of my face but I succeeded, I want everyone to take me as I am.”
Emre Erdal , 32 , Founder and President of Yuzumle Mutluyum Dernegi
“All people have indispensable rights from birth, everyone deserves an equal and fair treatment. We should spread ‘Face Equality’ to all World. If we change the way we look we can see the change.”
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Twitter: YuzumleMutluyum
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