Science Seeds Planted in the Hearts of Children in the Earthquake Zone

Science Firefly Mobile Lab, with IMCD's support, planted seeds of science in the hearts of children in earthquake-affected regions. IMCD, a leading global distributor of specialty chemicals and ingredients, brought the Science Firefly Mobile Lab to children in earthquake-affected areas on the occasion of the Republic's 100th anniversary, advancing equal opportunity in education. Stationed in Adıyaman, one of the most severely damaged provinces, during the second week after the earthquake, the mobile lab operated for 7 months, supporting children in conducting scientific experiments and spending stress-free time through yoga, painting, creative games and dance. Under the project launched last year by IMCD in partnership with Turkey Education Volunteers Foundation (TEGV), 2,000 children have been introduced to science to date. The southeastern earthquakes, which struck Turkey in succession and affected 13 million people, had a particularly severe impact on children. Hundreds of thousands of children spent approximately 7 months in tent and container cities, cut off from education. With the mission of "equal opportunity in education," IMCD launched the "Science Firefly Mobile Lab" project for primary schools in partnership with Turkey Education Volunteers Foundation (TEGV) last year, and this year reached earthquake-affected children. Arriving in the region quickly during the second week of the earthquakes, the Science Firefly Mobile Lab worked through the end of September to inspire children aged 7-14 with science.

We brought earthquake-affected children together with science

Aylin Zakuto, General Manager of IMCD Turkey, said they decided to take the Science Firefly Mobile Lab to the regions most affected by the earthquakes: "We believed that during a period when schools were closed, keeping children engaged in education and allowing them to spend time in an enjoyable manner would help them overcome earthquake trauma more easily. For seven months, our Science Firefly Mobile Lab traveled through tent cities in the Adıyaman region, making learning fun through experiments with children. Additionally, through activities such as yoga, painting, creative games and dance, we supported children in coping with stress," she said. Noting that the Science Firefly Mobile Lab met with students without laboratories in the Marmara and Aegean regions last year, Zakuto said: "However, with the earthquake, we quickly shifted our focus to Southeast Anatolia in 2023. Because the need in this region was very large."

Next target: schools in the Black Sea Region

Zakuto, summarizing their purpose for taking to the road as "creating genuine equal opportunity in education," continued as follows:

"As IMCD, in every country where we operate, we place importance on contributing to social development as much as economic development. Our education project launched in Turkey, the 'Science Firefly Mobile Lab,' addresses an important need. In our view, every child should be able to continue their education under equal conditions. Based on this philosophy, we partnered with TEGV during the pandemic and donated tablets to enable children with limited resources to follow their lessons. Last year, we supported the Science Firefly Mobile Lab project and set out to introduce children in village schools without laboratories to science. This year, we served children who were away from school due to earthquakes for 7 months. In the next phase, our target is schools in the Black Sea Region. We want our project to have a long-term impact. Our aim is to make children love science even more. Because IMCD is a company that develops its activities based on science. For this reason, we want to explain to children interactively that science is not just in laboratories or in test tubes, but is part of our daily lives. If we teach children that curiosity and questioning are the first rules of being a scientist, we will have planted the first seeds of tomorrow's scientists."