The Sports Workshop, implemented with Vestel's support at the Skill and Talent Center established by the SosyalBen Foundation, hosted a meeting between national athletes and children during Gymnastics Week. Former national gymnasts and coaches Gürkan Mutlu and Demet Mutlu met with children affected by the February 6 earthquakes in Hatay and Adıyaman.
Vestel organized special events for Gymnastics Week again this year at the 'Skill and Talent Centers' established by the SosyalBen Foundation. These centers aim to help children aged 7-13 affected by the February 6 earthquakes discover and develop their talents. In this year's event, the children met with former national athlete Gürkan Mutlu, the most decorated name in Turkish trampoline gymnastics, and former national artistic gymnast Demet Mutlu, who has achieved numerous national and international successes. Today, these former national athletes continue to actively coach in their respective branches.
As part of the program, the national athletes first came together with children at the SosyalBen Skill and Talent Center in Adıyaman. There, they accompanied the gym sessions of children receiving advanced gymnastics training and conducted one-on-one practice with them.
Following this, different branches of gymnastics were introduced to the children at an event held at the Skill and Talent Center in Hatay. Gürkan Mutlu, a Trampoline Gymnastics Technical Committee Member who also coaches, and Demet Mutlu, who is actively pursuing her coaching career, conveyed sports disciplines to the children and inspired them by sharing examples from their own experiences.
In her statement regarding the event, Vestel Chief Marketing Officer Duygu Badem Uylukçuoğlu said:
“As Vestel, we are delighted to turn the Skill and Talent Center sports workshops, which we brought to life with the SosyalBen Foundation, into an unforgettable experience for children during Gymnastics Week. Bringing the unifying power and inspiring role of sports to children is of great value to us. The fact that our national athletes serve as role models for children with their success stories nurtures their dreams and boosts their self-confidence. The meeting of our national athletes, who have achieved significant successes in various branches of gymnastics, with our children this year will strengthen their dreams and enable them to look to the future with hope. As part of our mission to add value to society, we are proud to contribute to unlocking the potential of our children.”
SosyalBen Foundation Founder Ece Çiftçi stated:
“The sports workshops at the Skill and Talent Centers, which we realized in cooperation with Vestel, have been an invaluable effort that touches our children's dreams and creates space for them to discover their potential. These meetings with Vestel volunteers and globally successful athletes in their fields offer a highly educational and inspiring experience for the physical, social, and technical development of children. Bringing our children together with our national athletes during Gymnastics Week is of great importance for them to get to know their role models closely and to see sports as a lifestyle. I believe these meetings will contribute to our children looking to the future with hope by increasing their self-confidence. Furthermore, for our students who advance their skills in the workshops, this experience makes a positive contribution to their desire and consistency in the field of sports. As the SosyalBen Foundation, we will continue to support children in expressing themselves through art, sports, and creativity.”
While 11,000 students have benefited to date from the Skill and Talent Centers established by the SosyalBen Foundation in Adıyaman and Hatay, regular psychosocial support continues to be provided. The Skill and Talent Center founded by the foundation enables children to receive regular psychosocial support, develop their talents, and gain different experiences. Through long-term workshops, the center aims to contribute to children's problem-solving, decision-making, and self-confidence building skills.
Vestel strengthens sports workshops with advanced training
As the sports workshop supporter of the Skill and Talent Centers established for earthquake-affected children in Hatay and Adıyaman, Vestel provided 3,000 students with direct access to sports and gymnastics in 2024. Continuing to increase this support in 2025, Vestel not only contributes to the sports workshops but also acts as an intermediary for discovering talented children and helping them receive advanced gymnastics training.
Thanks to the training carried out in halls affiliated with the Provincial Directorates of Youth and Sports with the support of the Turkish Gymnastics Federation, the goal is to introduce high-potential students to Turkish sports. By bringing the transformative power of sports to children, Vestel aims to create a lasting impact in the region and ensure the sustainability of the project.
