Salome Derme, head of the Association, told Anadolu Agency that the Ukrainians had difficulty following Russia's attacks and that Türkiye took care of them at their most needy times.
Derme emphasized the need to learn Turkish for children, pointing out that youngsters who fled their homes due to the war face major difficulty being integrated into a new community.
"We are overjoyed when children greet us in Turkish. They can say their names now that they know the letters. It is really tough to forget the pain, yet, if they have a good time here, they forget some of the discomfort," she said.
"Our goal is to alleviate their suffering and give them hope," Derme said.
Ayşegül Kaplan, a volunteer trainer, noted that they witnessed children studying Turkish contributing to their rehabilitation procedures and that their self-confidence rose day by day."
Seven-year-old Ilyas Lisov, who came to Izmir with his family three months ago, said that he will go to school and play games with his friends.
Masha Nosava also said that she will go to the second grade and she likes to learn Turkish.
