Municipality in Turkey redesigns homes of disabled people, improving their quality of life

The "Engelsiz Ev" (Accessible Home) project was initiated by the Konya Metropolitan Municipality and aims to help disabled people by making their homes more handicap friendly. Run by the Konya Department of Social Affairs, the project involves redesigning the houses of disabled people to better meet their needs. Paraplegics as well as the hearing and visually impaired will enjoy a higher quality of life thanks to the project. Speaking to an Anadolu Agency (AA) correspondent, Konya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tahir Akyürek underscored that their project is a first for Turkey. He said these kinds of projects are carried out in Europe and added that the project is also a sign of social progress. Not only are the entrances and exits of houses occupied by disabled people alters, but interior spaces are also renovated. Akyürek said that redesigning these living spaces is a necessity. "The project will improve every part of the houses: sinks, bathrooms, lighting, door bells, beds and living rooms," Mayor Akyürek said. The Konya Metropolitan Municipality has been collaborating with the City of London Corporation to make Turkey a model in this regard. Akyürek said the same project was carried out in London and continued, "These projects make life easier for the disabled. Our aim is to please them. Our municipality gives great importance to the work of the Department of Social Affairs." He said they remodeled the houses of disabled citizens who applied to the municipality and they gained more and more experience with each new project. "We are ready to pass on our experiences to other municipalities," said Mayor Akyürek. "There are houses that we are still working on. We are receiving great feedback. The important things for is the smile on a person's face and helping people in need. This is the real social municipal work."