Istanbul School for Children from Armenia Struggles On: 150 Students and Growing

11:51, April 24, 2015

There's a school where 150 children attend classes in the basement of the Gedikpaşa Armenian Evangelical Church in one of the older sections of Istanbul.

However, they're the kids of parents who have left Armenia to work in Turkey; many illegally.

While in Istanbul to attend events commemorating the 1915 Genocide, I had a chance to briefly speak to Heriknaz Avakyan, principal of the 'Hrant Dink' school.

When I last paid a visit to the school some six years ago there were one-third the number of pupils and classes didn't go up to the eighth grade as now.

But they are still learning in classrooms without windows and the space is getting crowded.  Read more... (518 words)

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