Earthquake survivor Cihan's magnificent success at Darüşşafaka: From guest student to medal-winning student

Darüşşafaka, one of Turkey's long-established educational institutions, draws attention with its scholarship-based boarding education programs for children who have lost their mother or father and are experiencing economically difficulties. The institution provides a holistic education model to students, offering not only basic needs such as shelter and nutrition but also psychological support and guidance services. This approach aims to support students' both academic and personal development, while forming one of the fundamental pillars of the success achieved in the 'Overcoming Adversity' category. One of the most concrete examples of this model reveals itself clearly in the life story of Cihan Aslantaş, who was affected by the February 6 earthquakes and got to know the school during this difficult process.

In the period when the February 6 earthquakes opened deep wounds in Diyarbakır, Cihan Aslantaş and his twin brother Emir came to Istanbul by benefiting from the 'guest student' application initiated by Darüşşafaka for the siblings of students in the earthquake zone. The fact that his older sister Eylül was already studying at the school facilitated the family's adaptation to this process. Although Cihan initially had the right to education for only one year, the difficulties he experienced, especially regarding foreign language, were the beginning of a testing process for him. However, the supportive environment offered by the school and the solidarity of his classmates played a key role in Cihan overcoming this difficulty and paved the way for him to continue his education life here.

Cihan, who initially had serious trouble in English classes and had difficulty communicating, made great progress in a short time thanks to his determination and diligence. Developing his language skills under the guidance of his teachers and with the encouragement of his friends, Cihan reached a level to receive degrees in national and international arenas after a while. Thanks to this superior performance he showed at the end of the one-year guest student period, Cihan won the right to stay at the school and graduated from Darüşşafaka Middle School with the 'English Superior Achievement Award'. This situation proved not only his academic success but also how successful he was in adapting to difficult conditions.

Continuing his successful performance in the high school preparatory class as well, Cihan achieved proud results by representing Turkey on international platforms. In the Owlypia Competition, where participants from various countries of the world took part, he managed to win a gold medal by ranking 4th in the individual category and 1st in the team category. In addition, he stood out among 4 thousand 85 competitors in the Minticity Olympics in the field of German and became the Turkey third. Today, Cihan, who is a 9th grade student, has overcome the trauma brought by the earthquake and the language barrier, becoming the most vivid example of Darüşşafaka's 'Overcoming Adversity' philosophy.

Cihan’s success story is not just an individual victory, but also part of an educational success that embraces the entire family. His older brother Furkan continues his education at Çukurova University Department of Mechanical Engineering after graduating from Darüşşafaka, while his older sister Eylül studies at Dicle University Faculty of Medicine. His twin brother Emir also continues his high school education at Darüşşafaka, carrying on the family's brilliant journey. Darüşşafaka Educational Institutions General Manager Ebru Arpacı stated that it is a source of pride for the institution to be listed among the top 10 schools in the world, emphasizing her belief that every child can change the world if given the right opportunities.