Students from the Midwifery Department of Bartın University's Faculty of Health Sciences have undertaken an important awareness campaign aimed at protecting public health as part of their Social Responsibility Project course.

The theater project titled "Today's Choice, Tomorrow's Price," prepared by researchers Dilber Dovletgeldiyeva, Büşra Çelik, and Albina Mehraliyeva under the leadership of Project Coordinator Elif Sude Duman and supervised by Dr. Yeliz Çakır Koçak, was accepted by the Bartın University Social Responsibility Project Coordination Office and successfully implemented.

As part of the project, a theater performance staged on May 17, 2026, for students of Bartın Merkez Fatih Sultan Mehmet Anatolian High School highlighted the multifaceted negative effects of consanguineous marriage and early marriage on individual, family, and public health. The entire process, including script, stage design, costumes, and presentation, was handled by the midwifery students. The project was realized under the guidance of advisor professors and a volunteer expert art consultant provided by the Bartın Municipality Culture, Arts and Social Affairs Directorate. Using a "role-playing" technique instead of traditional seminar methods, the play conveyed, through an impactful narrative, how consanguineous marriages can increase negative genetic and chronic health outcomes such as risky pregnancies, maternal and infant mortality, and birth defects.

Throughout the performance, the importance of young people making informed partner choices and being informed about genetic counseling and health checkups before marriage was emphasized. Informative brochures and posters prepared as part of the event further reinforced awareness. Students, through the play, addressed the issue from both emotional and scientific perspectives, receiving the message that their future decisions can affect generations. A total of 27 high school students who watched the play became ambassadors who will contribute to local health services by spreading this lasting awareness to wider circles through peer education and family communication.

This valuable work, aiming to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals at the regional level, supported the reduction of misconceptions about consanguineous marriage while highlighting the importance of preventive health services. The project, carried out with the support of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Anatolian High School's conference hall and Bartın Municipality Cultural Center's rehearsal space, demonstrated the power of university-community collaboration and institutional partnerships, making a significant contribution to BARU's ability to transform theoretical education for the benefit of society.

Fotoğraflar