A smile on a child's face is priceless, and women in Adana agree, with the Adana Advanced Technical School for women working to put a smile on the faces of children as part of the Zero Waste Project with the waste left over from the materials used in homes or workshops.
In the decorative handicrafts workshop, the trainee women make toys from materials such as waste fabric, yarn, beads and buttons, using different doll-making techniques they learned in lessons.
Within the scope of the project, the trainees evaluate and collect leftover craft supplies in their homes as well as the workshop and make toys for children in need.
Decorative handicraft teacher Müge Boyacı told Anadolu Agency (AA) that a lot of leftover material comes out of the workshops of her institutes, where there are different departments from fashion and art design to jewelry making, from handicrafts to ceramics and glass processing.
Explaining that they worked with 12 trainees to evaluate the waste and support the Zero Waste Project, Boyacı stated that as part of the course they both taught how to design with different techniques and how to evaluate waste.
Boyacı stated that they make many toys from waste materials, turning them into dolls and stuffed animals in the workshop.
"We have a lot of material left over while making handicrafts. We thought about what we can do about it. We supported the project with 12 students (trainees) to make use of the materials, socks, cotton and yarn in their homes and in the workshop, to contribute to nature and to make children happy. We try to use threads that were better for children's health, and we used cotton socks," she explained.
Boyacı stated that they will give toys to a school to help make children smile.
Müge Civan, a mother of three, explained that thanks to the institute, they make the best use of the waste in her home and workshop.
Civan said she also uses socks her children have outgrown for the toys she makes, for example.
"Hopefully, we will make other children happy with these toys. We don't throw away anything in the house anymore. We try to use it in any way," she said.
Aslı Aka explained that she made a doll by making use of all kinds of waste, from fabric to yarn, that she brought from her home.
"Before, I was throwing waste away. Here I understood what appreciation is. Now I think at home, 'I won't throw it away, it will definitely be valuable.' It is a very useful project. We are very lucky that we have also contributed to the children's happiness," Aka said.
