BEDAŞ to build electric wheelchair power stations in Istanbul

Boğaziçi Elektrik Dağıtım AŞ (BEDAŞ), one of the biggest electricity distributers in Istanbul, will build 39 power stations to charge electric wheelchairs in order to give disabled people more freedom. According to a statement the company released, building power stations is among many social responsibility projects that will be initiated under the project "Light Up Your Life."

The company previously built special classrooms for disabled students in five elementary and middle schools on the European side of Istanbul. Officials said users of electric wheelchairs have to recharge them every two hours and announced that the new project will enable them to continue their journey without worrying about power. BEDAŞ will also build power stations in private schools and schools for disabled students. Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), BEDAŞ General Manager Mehmet İslamoğlu assured that they will not limit their social responsibility projects to a small number of special classrooms and power stations, and will increase the number of these important spots throughout the city. He said that every department and BEDAŞ employee support the company's social responsibility projects. The government also has designated the necessary criteria for special classrooms for disabled students for partners of the project.

BEDAŞ and Turkish Red Crescent are undertaking the special classroom project at schools the Provincial Directorate of National Education in Istanbul selects. Apart from BEDAŞ and the Turkish Red Crescent, coaches from the Association for Coaching are contributing to the project a great deal. The coaches offer free guidance to teachers and parents on how they should approach their disabled students and children. As a part of "Light Up Your Life," BEDAŞ employees formed a choir and received musical instruction on Turkish folk music in order to give a concert and raise awareness of the problems of the disabled as well as BEDAŞ's social responsibility project. In addition to employees, renowned musicians Müşerref Akay and Songül Karlı will also perform for the charity. The first BEDAŞ employees' concert took place yesterday and today they will give another concert at Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall in Istanbul.