Kocaeli child Hazar Ali says 'anne' after speech therapy

After about a year of intensive speech and language therapy at the Gonca Engelsiz Yaşam Merkezi, 5‑year‑old Hazar Ali Sakman of Kocaeli said his first "anne". The centre, operating under the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, helped Hazar progress from using only a few words to forming short sentences and expressing basic concepts such as "yes" and "no".

His mother, Sinem Sakman, described the moment as a lifelong dream fulfilled, saying it felt like a "magic wand" had been waved over her son. The family hopes the success will encourage wider access to similar therapeutic services for other children with communication challenges.