Tohum Autism Foundation Education Portal to Offer Free Access

Autism's only known treatment today is early diagnosis, intensive and continuous education. Tepe Savunma ve Güvenlik has renewed the "Tohum Otizm Vakfı Education Portal," an educational resource implemented by the Tohum Otizm Vakfı that families of autistic children in need of special education in Turkey, caregivers, teachers, university students, and all individuals interested in the subject can easily access. As part of the project, the portal with completely renewed content and design will be freely accessible at www.tohumotizmportali.org. Autism is a neuro-developmental difference that is congenital and manifests in the early years of life. It is characterized by the child's inability to establish adequate social relationships with the environment, displaying significant developmental difficulties in language and communication, and exhibiting repetitive behavioral patterns. The prevalence of autism is increasing at a very rapid rate today. This frequency was 1 in 2,500 children in 1985, but has risen to 1 in 59 children today. Every 20 minutes, a child is diagnosed with autism worldwide. In Turkey, it is estimated that there are 1.4 million individuals with autism and 5.5 million family members affected by this condition. Approximately 434,010 of this number consists of autistic children and young people aged 0-19 years. The number of children and young people who can access school and education is only 42,461. The only known remedy for autism is intensive and continuous special education through early diagnosis. Scientific research shows that approximately 50 percent of children who receive intensive education with early diagnosis and the correct educational method can have autism symptoms controlled, can achieve development, and some autistic children show no difference from their peers when they reach adolescence.

Betül Selcen Özer, General Director of Tohum Otizm Vakfı, stated: "The only known treatment for autism today, the only remedy, the only cure is education!"

Betül Selcen Özer, General Director of Tohum Otizm Vakfı: "Autism is a developmental difference that is congenital and noticed in the first three years of life. The only known treatment for autism today, the only remedy, the only cure is education! In Turkey, there are very limited resources and educational opportunities that both parents and educators can access to learn how to educate individuals with autism and how they should interact with them. Based on this need, we created an educational portal that anyone who wishes can access for free from any part of the country. The Tohum Otizm Education Portal that we prepared and presented in 2014 has acquired technical infrastructure, equipment, and a user-friendly interface that serve current conditions thanks to contributions from Tepe Savunma ve Güvenlik. With the support of our valued experts, the portal content has also been updated in light of scientific developments in the field. Through this collaboration with Tepe Savunma ve Güvenlik, our educational portal contains comprehensive information on the education of individuals with autism, supported by videos and visuals, and includes practical application examples as well as theoretical information. Thanks to our educational portal, we will be able to provide more autistic individuals with access to education.

We are very grateful to Tepe Savunma ve Güvenlik, which is aware of autism, stands beside autistic individuals, and has supported us in this very important project," he said.

Bora Doğualp, General Director of Tepe Savunma ve Güvenlik, noted that the variety, accessibility, and inclusivity of services provided to individuals in need of special education is evaluated as a very important indicator in terms of equal opportunity: "Our company has valued education since the day it was founded, demonstrated a respectful stance towards society, and has endeavored to continue its activities within the framework of these values.

Service to people lies at the core of our area of activity, and for this reason we take care to ensure that our corporate social responsibility initiatives are projects that add value to people.

Within the framework of our experience in the field of education and our corporate social responsibility approach, we have implemented a nationwide project with the Tohum Otizm Vakfı for all families with autistic children in need of special education and with limited access to education, educators, university students, and caregivers. By completely renewing the Foundation's existing learning portal, we have created an excellent resource that provides all individuals who interact with autistic children the opportunity to learn anytime, anywhere, from their smartphones or portable devices, wherever there is internet access. It is a great source of happiness for Tepe Savunma ve Güvenlik that parents, caregivers, educators, students, and everyone interested in the subject who learn how to educate autistic children by using the Tohum Otizm Portal can apply what they have learned and make a difference in the lives of autistic children," he said. Bora Doğualp, General Director of Tepe Savunma ve Güvenlik, also noted that World Autism Awareness Day on 2 April marks the beginning of Autism Awareness Month events organized around the world throughout April to inform about autism, to remind that early diagnosis and early intervention affect all aspects of the lives of individuals with autism. He expressed that they are particularly pleased that the opening of the renewed portal coincides with such a meaningful time and extended his gratitude to the Tohum Otizm Vakfı for providing them with this opportunity and to all experts who contributed to the portal's renewal process.