DEKAFOK TEAM
SEHER AKYOL - Field Worker Coordinator (Dekafok Chairman of the Board)
After working part-time in a natural stone specialist, business administration and law firm in the tourism sector for many years, her whole life changed with an incident that happened to her on the Bosphorus coast, where she spent her childhood.
In May 2020 - While walking on the beach with her son Taha, finding eggs next to a body, which was dismembered as a result of a vehicle passing over the mother Caretta during spawning, was the start of a new chapter in her life. The real reason for the story that a dead turtle will give life to thousands of babies is the young Taha's "MOM; MAYBE THERE ARE A FEW MORE CARETTA, WE SHOULD SAVE THEM,' and so the difficult struggle began.
She immediately quit her first job in the tourism industry and her part-time job at the law firm. She started doing everything she could, day and night, to protect the turtles working out of a small tent on the beach. She devoted herself completely to the Carettas, nature and living things.
Those who asked if there were Carettas in Manavgat when there was no indication of the existence of Caretta on our beaches, were answered by the birth of tens of thousands of hatchlings on the Manavgat shores. She established DEKAFOK, the association for the protection and survival of Sea Turtles, Mediterranean Seals and Sand Lilies, in order to protect and sustain our natural heritage, to ensure a sustainable life, to institutionalize our existence and to carry out scientific research in the future.
As this struggle continued under difficult conditions in a small tent, someone called out and offered a helping hand; TREAD THE GLOBE Marianna & Chris. First, she told them about her dreams at Mendirek and said that she wanted to protect the Carettas on all the beaches, to inform the society on the students and to explain the importance of the environment and living things.
The story started again from where it was said to be over, and Turkey's first officially licensed Caretta protection center DEKAFOK INFORMATION OBSERVATION CENTER was established thanks to all our valuable donors and continues with your support.
At DEKAFOK, we are always proud to be at work with an understanding of an association that can be understood transparently, where all individuals from all parts of the local and foreign society take it forward together with their participation.
Prof.Dr.Hakan SERT (Dekafok Board Member)
Born in the Kozaklı district of Nevşehir, Hakan SERT completed his undergraduate education at Hacettepe University, Faculty of Education, Biology Teaching Department, and his master's and doctorate education at Akdeniz University, Institute of Science, Biology Department.
He is still working as a faculty member at Akdeniz University / Faculty of Education / Department of Mathematics and Science Education / Science Education Department. Main fields of study: Zoology, Biological Diversity, Nature Education, Science Education, Genetic and Morphological Variations in Wild Rabbits and Ornithology.
Our story; It started with Seher contacting me by phone. Since I have been working on Environmental Protection and Education in Manavgat with university students and other national associations for many years, I became a member of the association in order to do this within the body of a non-governmental organization on a local scale and to support the newly established DEKAFOK.
Here, which is not found in other associations, I saw that there is an association president who dedicates everything to wildlife, environment and environmental education. We are still working with the members of the association to gain an institutional and academic identity to our association, which can move forward faster with its small and fast structure.
Mehmet Cengiz DEVAL (Dekafok Board Member)
Prof. dr. Mehmet Cengiz DEVAL: Professor of Akdeniz University, Faculty of Fisheries, Department of Fishing Technology.
Deval (https://avesis.akdeniz.edu.tr/deval/) works on stock management, population dynamics and hunting technology.
Especially in recent years, it has focused on equipment development and reduction studies for the smuggling of cartilaginous fish species caught and discarded as by-catch in commercial bottom trawlers and sea turtles.
Prof. Dr. Ertan TAÅžKAVAK (Dekafok member academic advisor)
Ertan TAÅžKAVAK, who was born on February 6, 1960 in Ä°zmir, graduated from Ege University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology in 1983, and completed his master's education in 1986 and his doctorate in 1992.
In almost the same years (1983-1994), she worked as a Biology Teacher (Burdur-Yeşilova High School & Karşıyaka Anatolian Vocational High School for Girls) under the Ministry of National Education (657 Civil Servants). In 1994, Assist. Assoc. Dr. Ertan TAKAVAK, who started to work as a faculty member at Ege University Faculty of Fisheries, served as an associate professor in 1998 and a professor in 2003 and still continues to serve as a full-time professor.
In addition to consulting at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Prime Ministry, Southeastern Anatolia Project Regional Development Administration (GAP), she worked at E.Ü. She worked as a director in Bergama Vocational School and between 2013-2016 at E.Ü. She was the Dean of the Faculty of Fisheries.
We met with Seher in October 2021, during the 'Sea Turtles Marine Habitats Evaluation Study' organized by Çanakkale 18 Mart University Çanakkale Sea Turtles Application and Research Center (ÇOMÜ - DEKUM) in the Demre district of Antalya. She told me at once what they did as DEKAFOK; with her sunny attitude and positive high energy. However, her hands, scorched by the Mediterranean sun, were the proof of what Seher told me one by one, turned into action. Maybe Seher didn't believe it either when I told her that I would support her in everything related to the protection of sea turtles.
However, what we have overcome in 2022 has formed the basis of the consolidation of our common wisdom partnership with Seher. Supporting DEKAFOK, which has grown a little more each day despite its only recent establishment, and helping the association gain an academic identity is the basis of my presence here.
Chris & Marianne In charge of support - International Partner
Chris and Marianne are mobile Youtubers who travel the world in their van Trudy, sharing their travels and adventures on their youtube channel Tread the Globe.
While camping in the Manavgat Sorgun region, they noticed Seher's work and wanted to help Seher's dream of opening the Dekafok Marine Conservation Center. They organized an international Gofundme fundraising campaign to build the Conservation Center and buy essential supplies.
Dr. Hüseyin OKUR Academic Advisor (Dekafok member)
Our most experienced member, who was born in Manavgat and graduated from high school in Antalya, Dr. Hussein OKUR. He spent all of his summer holidays in his gazebo in Side or in Manavgat.
OKUR, who graduated from Istanbul Medical Faculty in 1975 and went to Germany for specialization training; University of Bonn and Bochum. After training and becoming a Neuropsychiatry Specialist in 1981, he returned to Germany after completing his military service and managed a neurology clinic there, and then served for years in his own practice. When it was time to retire, he returned to his homeland, Turkey, and formed an Organic-Certified bond in Manavgat.
His father, who left unforgettable traces in Manavgat, and whose name was given to a Square in Manavgat, the well k nown Dr. Mustafa Asım OKUR. “My father used to teach us not to consume more than necessary 60 years ago, saying that WASTE is a SIN. He bequeathed us to protect the Sand Lilies in the port of Side so that they do not perish.
Unfortunately, those in Side remained under the concrete. A few years ago, when our term District Governor Nazmi GÜNLÜ presented the Sand Lilies, which were on the verge of extinction, our mayor, with his encouragement, took the issue and protected the lilies in front of the BoÄŸaz Hotel and surrounded them with a wire fence. A few months later, under the leadership of Caretta Seher, we established the DEKAFOK association and protected thousands of Sand Lilies. I am grateful to everyone for their sensitivity in environmental protection,” says our most senior member.
GülÅŸah YILDIRIM KIRBACI – Our Foreign Representative (Dekafok Board Member)
GülÅŸah is a nature-friendly person who graduated from BoÄŸaziçi University, Department of Science Education, completed her master's degree in science education at Akdeniz University and continues her studies in this field and wants to improve herself in environmental education and raise awareness on this issue.
Today, the many steps we take and the choices we make increase our personal ecological footprint. That's why she thinks we should do our best individually for nature. Stating that she likes to be in nature with her husband whenever she has the opportunity and to share the images they take in nature on Youtube, GülÅŸah met Marianne and Chris through Youtube.
When they met in Antalya and said how impressed they were with Seher, she went to Manavgat at the first opportunity and met Seher. She became a volunteer who was very impressed by Seher, her work and dreams and tried to do her best to support DEKAFOK, which she created.
Serkan KIRBACI – Video Editor
Being able to hear, understand and help the voice of nature is an important task for every human being. If we don't, he will tell us this in a harsh language.
Influenced by Seher's efforts, I became one of the DEKAFOK volunteers. Whenever I have time, I prepare videos for DEKAFOK. I am also a academic personal in the university.
TAHA FIRAT (Dekafok member)
He is our youngest volunteer, born in September 2004. Taha, a senior maritime high school student who wants to be a long-distance captain in the future, is the person who brought the sad sight to his mother’s attention and actually helped start this project when he saw the strewn eggs of the mother Caretta, which were crushed by vehicles on the beach.
Hüseyin SERT - (Dekafok Board Member)
Born in Antalya's Manavgat district, Hüseyin completed his undergraduate education at the Eastern Mediterranean University, Faculty of Architecture. He is the owner of Sert Architecture Construction Company in Manavgat, which is one of the leading companies in the sector in which he operates, and provides services in Architectural Project and Construction.
Mr. Hussein;
It started with Seher contacting me by phone. She talked about the Dekofak Information Observatory, which she dreamed of establishing, and that she needed an environmentalist structure and it had to be sustainable.
As a result of the efforts of my team, we designed and implemented Dekafok. In this process, I was informed by Seher about the purpose of Dekafok and I was very impressed. I started to take part in the board of directors of the association in order to convey the importance of environment and living things to new generations that every living thing has the right to live in nature and to do my best to help.
It is a special honor to have the privilege of being a part of such a successful team,” says our environmentalist member.
Ahmet Tevhid KUZU - Social Media Manager & Problem Solver (Dekafok Board Member)
He was born in Istanbul, Fatih; He continues his education life by not completing the Logistics Associate Degree at Istanbul Esenyurt University, and Anadolu University International Trade and Logistics Undergraduate Programs, and now he continues his undergraduate education in Radio, Television and Cinema at Istanbul GeliÅŸim University, Faculty of Fine Arts. Areas of interest; film, filmmaking, art, fantasy literature, music and photography.
I have always been interested and curious about possible sea creatures, especially sea turtles. I came across DEKAFOK when I was working in Sorgun. This project, which was initiated to protect and preserve endangered creatures, deeply affected me.
Afterwards, I became a part of DEKAFOK, feeling sincerely that I should take part in this project.
Ahmet KAYABASI (Dekafok member)
Ahmet, who was born in Kahramanmaraş, completed his undergraduate education in Elazig Fırat University, Faculty of Communication, Department of Public Relations and Publicity. He is a nature lover artist who is interested in musical instruments such as guitar and kajon and has become quite the musician.
In 2020, I came to the Bosphorus coast to camp with my cousin. Seher, who collects garbage on the beach every day, immediately caught our attention. Our story is Seher's; She started by saying, "Can you help me pick up the rubbish?" Hours passed like water that day, it was a very enjoyable and useful day. Tirelessly informing visitors from her small tent about the environment; she wanted the protection of nature and living things, the beaches to be free of rubbish and isolated, and the ecological balance to be preserved so much that we understood this desire from her non-stop work and her excited explanations.
We couldn't have a nice breakfast because we were in the camp for a long time. I missed the baked goods my mother cooked. The next morning, Seher woke up just like my mother, saying, "Son, come on, I brought you breakfast" and that day there was "PİŞİ" on the table, as if that was a sign. I can’t tell you how happy that made us.
While chatting with Seher, she said that she had established the DEKAFOK association and needed help. Nature lovers, academicians and students around us; we introduced them all to Seher to be partners in their dreams and we got involved in the work.
If you look at Dekafok's work, it is solution-oriented in every field. The environment is being cleaned to protect the environment. Every month, thousands of local and foreign visitors and students are informed and events are held in order to prevent people from leaving their rubbish on the beaches. Work is carried out on a common ground with all institutions and organizations for awareness purposes. Being in harmony with our teammates strengthens our struggle. Everything is so transparent that you feel like you belong to Dekafok. I'm glad I'm a DEKAFOK volunteer.
NeÅŸet ErtaÅŸ has a very beautiful saying, "THOSE WHO RUN WITH LOVE DON’T TIRE" states dear Ahmet.
IAN PUGH - Website and Social Media English Support
Ahmet, who was born in Kahramanmaraş, completed his undergraduate education in Elazig Fırat University, Faculty of Communication, Department of Public Relations and Publicity. He is a nature lover artist who is interested in musical instruments such as guitar and kajon and has become quite the musician.
In 2020, I came to the Bosphorus coast to camp with my cousin. Seher, who collects garbage on the beach every day, immediately caught our attention. Our story is Seher's; She started by saying, "Can you help me pick up the rubbish?" Hours passed like water that day, it was a very enjoyable and useful day. Tirelessly informing visitors from her small tent about the environment; she wanted the protection of nature and living things, the beaches to be free of rubbish and isolated, and the ecological balance to be preserved so much that we understood this desire from her non-stop work and her excited explanations.
We couldn't have a nice breakfast because we were in the camp for a long time. I missed the baked goods my mother cooked. The next morning, Seher woke up just like my mother, saying, "Son, come on, I brought you breakfast" and that day there was "PİŞİ" on the table, as if that was a sign. I can’t tell you how happy that made us.
While chatting with Seher, she said that she had established the DEKAFOK association and needed help. Nature lovers, academicians and students around us; we introduced them all to Seher to be partners in their dreams and we got involved in the work.
If you look at Dekafok's work, it is solution-oriented in every field. The environment is being cleaned to protect the environment. Every month, thousands of local and foreign visitors and students are informed and events are held in order to prevent people from leaving their rubbish on the beaches. Work is carried out on a common ground with all institutions and organizations for awareness purposes. Being in harmony with our teammates strengthens our struggle. Everything is so transparent that you feel like you belong to Dekafok. I'm glad I'm a DEKAFOK volunteer.
NeÅŸet ErtaÅŸ has a very beautiful saying, "THOSE WHO RUN WITH LOVE DON’T TIRE" states dear Ahmet.
Duygu Zeynep YAVASOÄžLU – (Dekafok member) Veterinarian
Born in 1996, Zeynep became a veterinarian because she loved animals and wanted to help since she was a child. One day, we met by chance on the beach in Manavgat. Ms. Seher told us about the work she does, that she takes care of the carettas on the beach, and that she collects the garbage on the beach to help the mother carettas.
Thus, we met this perfect woman, and in a short time I saw her upright posture, her dedication to a fault, her effort, her love for animals, especially the caretta caretta, and her love for them. Then we helped Seher in cleaning the beach. We also rescued trapped pups and helped Dekafok collect data on nest locations. Thanks to Seher, I experienced the unforgettable moments in my life.
Everyone should live this experience. Once you cross paths with Seher, you will see how your life has changed.
The biggest feature of Dekafok is that it is a non-profit organization. You can see that the work you do really reaches its goal if it is in accordance with the structure of the association, being transparent and making everything official down to the last detail.
Utku YILMAZ – (Dekafok member) Veterinarian
Born in 1994, Utku is very sensitive to nature and animals as he grew up in an animal-loving family. So he inevitably became a veterinarian. Utku Dekafok undertakes the duties of cleaning the coastline and protecting female turtles while they are laying eggs. He also assists in nesting, rescuing trapped turtles, and collecting data on nests.
Deka - Security
In Manavgat, which faced the biggest forest fires in the history of Turkey in 2021 and lost many of our forests and animals, we found this 1 month old little puppy crying on the side of the road because of burns.
Our DEKA, who was cured after being rescued from the Manavgat fire, was treated in Antalya and joined the Dekafok team. Our lovely cat “OKS”, who had just given birth, breastfed DEKA and so he got better and thinks he is a cat, he loves cat food. Our cats, who are milk brothers and sisters, love to play with "SAND" and "PEAKIL" and love all children thanks to DEKA's education.
Again, with our new dog, FOKS, which we adopted from the street, DEKA plays and patrols the beach all day long.