Refugee filmed doing homework in pile of rubbish is given place at school

The incident took place in the Arnavutkoy area of Istanbul on the European side of the western Turkish major city, earlier this week.

Halime’s life changed when video footage of her diligently writing into a notebook, while sitting among rubbish was uploaded to social media, causing outrage. 

Turkish education authorities stepped in and found the young refugee a place at a school. 

Halime was out in the rubbish, as she was trying to support her family by collecting waste paper to be recycled, according to the Turkish Education Ministry.

The 11-year-old started her education on 26th September. According to local media, Halime arrived in Turkey from Syria with her mother and father about a year ago. She was originally unable to attend school due to a documentation error.

The eldest of six children, she currently lives with her parents and six brothers and sisters in Arnavutkoy. Reports said that only the youngest child, Halime has been attending school before her sister was filmed studying in squalor. 

Council officials have confirmed that the municipality will pay for Halime’s school costs.

Meanwhile, the bright 11-year-old said that she was ’excited’ that she will have ’access to so many books’ at the institute.

Her father Abdulrezzak Cuma told local media: ’I wanted my kids to go to school and was very upset that most of them could not.

’Halime started her new school today and I am over the moon. Now she will be able to progress in life. Next, I hope all our children will have access to public education.’