October 24th, 2024
Takeda Turkey Launched a Meaningful Project in Collaboration with Tohum Autism Foundation
Takeda Turkey Supports Tohum Autism Foundation’s “Every Classroom a Tohum” Project as Part of Its Sustainability Efforts.
Continuing its 243-year-long mission of improving lives, Takeda not only develops innovative treatments but also leads impactful sustainability initiatives. Operating in over 80 countries, the company carries out projects that address the needs of the communities in which it operates, as part of its corporate social responsibility approach. In Türkiye, Takeda has recently partnered with the Tohum Autism Foundation on a meaningful initiative to help children with autism integrate into society through access to special education.
Through its support for Tohum Autism Foundation’s “Every Classroom a Tohum” project—aimed at increasing access to education for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and providing special education classrooms in public schools with the necessary educational materials—Takeda Turkey contributed to expanding access to quality education for more children with autism. As part of this collaboration, the special education classroom at Sarıyer Uğur Erkey İlköğretim Okulu was renovated. In addition, a tailored training program was developed for the classroom’s teachers.
The program includes:
- “Teaching Language and Communication Skills” training for special education teachers,
- “Working with Students with Autism” training for general education teachers and school staff,
- “Peer Awareness” sessions for students.
Furthermore, educational sessions on “Special Education for Children with Autism” will be offered to local residents, teachers, and parents. The initiative will also be supported by a dedicated teacher network established to update teacher knowledge and gather feedback throughout the year.
“We Emphasize That the Only Known Solution for Autism Is Early and Intensive Education”
Burçak Karakaya, General Manager of Tohum Autism Foundation, emphasized the importance of early intervention:
“For the past 21 years, we have continuously highlighted that the only known solution for autism is early diagnosis followed by intensive and sustained education. Today in Türkiye, only 41,854 out of approximately 700,000 school-aged children with autism have access to education.
At Tohum Autism Foundation, we are working to expand scholarship opportunities for students at our education institutions and to provide tailored special education materials—such as teaching tools and technology—for special education classrooms in public schools established by the Ministry of National Education.
We also deliver training to teachers, families, students, and school administrators. Through the ‘Every Classroom a Tohum’ project, we have so far renovated 186 special education classrooms across 42 provinces and trained thousands of special education teachers.
We are thrilled to have joined forces with Takeda Turkey on this shared mission and hope more institutions will support this project to promote equal opportunities in education. With the support of our partners, we believe the number of renovated special education classrooms in Türkiye will continue to grow rapidly.”
“We’re Proud to Support Educational Access for Children with Autism”
Ömür Mangaloğlu, General Manager of Takeda Turkey, shared the company’s perspective:
“With our vision of building a healthier, brighter future, we are proud to collaborate with civil society organizations on sustainability-focused projects that improve patients’ quality of life.
Partnering with Tohum Autism Foundation, which has spent more than two decades working to ensure early diagnosis for children with ASD and to meet the educational, vocational, employment, independent living, and inclusion needs of children and their families in line with global standards, is highly meaningful for Takeda Turkey.
We believe that education is the most powerful tool for individuals with autism to express themselves and live independently. Through this important project, which aims to improve educational access for children with autism and provide essential materials to public schools in need, we hope every child can enjoy a productive learning experience.”
On October 16, representatives from Takeda Turkey and Tohum Autism Foundation visited the newly renovated special education classroom at Sarıyer Uğur Erkey İlköğretim Okulu, in collaboration with the Sarıyer District Directorate of National Education.
