Fethiye International Group (FIG)

Inaugurated in December 2003 the Fethiye International Group, FIG was formed by and for the foreigners settled here who wanted to ‘put something back’ into the community and foster integration.  It operates under the auspices of FETAV a registered Turkish charity and targets children and their education as the main recipients of the funds they raise.

Money is raised by regular Friday sales of second hand clothes (donations always welcome) and a book exchange, ‘books for books’.  New reading books, coloured pencils and school uniforms are delivered to schools in the outlying villages with the help of a local private primary school.

FIG was also assisted to run a Turkish Cookery class at a local lise, from this they have published a book of authentic Turkish recipes.  And it currently runs both ’intensive’ and ‘easy’ courses in Turkish.  There is ‘Cooking with Clarissa’ for those who wish to learn Chinese Cookery.  In addition they are developing programmes whereby English speaking volunteers provide practical English conversation for school students.  They have volunteers in two primary schools and are currently providing a programme for nursing students at the local branch of Muğla University.

FIG also sponsors the training of four children at the local ‘Starfish’ training and rehabilitation centre for children with special needs.  This centre offers a high standard of training and rehabilitation and, in Turkey, is pioneering the use of horses as a therapeutic tool at their beach side centre where sea and sand therapy is also provided.  FIG has recently helped them start a campaign – ‘be a friend of a star’ - to find sponsors for the very many local children who do not have government funded access to this type of training.

As FIG is run entirely by volunteers its expenses are nominal and all funds raised go to good causes, which include, new reading books and uniforms for school children, top up fees for medical treatment for children for items not covered by government funding, bursaries for university students and training for children with special needs.  Donations of clothing to local poor and to victims of earthquakes and occasional one off payments for a verified need are also made.  More information can be found on their website www.figfethiye.org