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Bolluça Capital: Ankara Area: 779,452 km² Population: 63 million (December 2000 est.) Ethnic groups: Turks, Kurds, Armenians, and Jews Official language(s): Turkish Religion(s): Muslim Currency: 1 Turkish lira = 100 kurus Our Facilities First negotiations with regard to the construction of a SOS Children's Village in Turkey were already held in the 1970s. It was, however, not before 1987 that an agreement between a private Turkish children's foundation "Türkiye Korunmaya Muhtac Cocuklar Vakfi" (Foundation for the Protection of Children) and SOS-Kinderdorf International was signed. A suitable plot of land was found in Bolluça, about 35 km from Istanbul, and the construction work started in autumn 1988. In spring 1992, the construction was completed and the first children moved into their new home. After the severe earthquakes of August 1999, SOS Children's Village Bolluça expanded its capacity in order to help more children in need. In early 2001 the renovation works on the SOS Children's Village Bolluça started. Since suitable flats to serve as a SOS Youth Facility could not be found yet, the youths were temporarily accommodated in the aunt's house on the premises of the SOS Children's Village. Despite some skepticism regarding the work of SOS-Kinderdorf International on the part of the population in the area in the beginning, a good relationship meanwhile was established with the neighbourhood. Contact: SOS Children's Villages Turkey Garanti Mh. Toprakkale Sk. Ufuk A Apt. No 34 D.9 34337 Etiler/Istanbul Turkey tel. +90-212-257 0911 fax +90-212-257 3919