Mehmet Gökdemir, a 33-year-old food technology teacher in Türkiye's southeastern Mardin, has been providing music therapy to children who are bedridden, have limited mobility or need rehabilitation for the last 10 years.
Gökdemir supports the social responsibility project he initiated with the slogan "Love is healing." He visits rehabilitation centers, villages or local homes and has received positive reactions from the families involved.
Stating that many diseases can be overcome with music, Gökdemir said, "Our goal is to carry out this activity in other regions besides Mardin. We will try to reach all leukemia and bedridden sick children in Türkiye."
The teacher works in a private school in Mardin and said that he started his project influenced by the joy of the children at the village school he visited during an event organized with a theater group while he was still in university.
Gökdemir said that he provides therapy with live music and has visited rehabilitation centers and places where disabled children are located every week for 10 years now. A music department student, Ibrahim Yıldırım also joined him in the project, thus the duo holds live shows usually together.
He said that the children were very happy about the music event they initially held.
"While I was studying at university, I went to a village with a theater group. I was impressed by the joy of the children here, and I decided to prepare such a social responsibility project. We have been continuing the project with my friend Ibrahim Yıldırım since 2016. Our primary target is children with disabilities.
"We visit either a rehabilitation center, a village or the children at their homes every week. We play live music for them. The children are very happy, we are also happy," he said.
Expressing that the families are also satisfied with the project and that they think many diseases can be overcome with music, Gökdemir said: "Families need this as well, so it's a great morale boost for them. We wanted the children to change their routines for a bit and have a good time. We will continue to do these activities. Especially children who are confined to bed are bored because they are always at home.''
''They are very cheerful when we go. We offer hourlong music concerts. Our goal is to organize this event in other regions besides Mardin. We will try to reach all leukemia and bedridden sick children in Türkiye. Our starting point is the slogan 'Love is Healing.' I hope we will continue to carry out these activities from now on."
Ibrahim Yıldırım, a music student, said that the happiness of children is the best gift for him.
