Translation supports Turkish creators to tell their own stories

Habitat Association, a global Code Club partner, is an organisation dedicated to empowering communities across Türkiye through digital literacy, coding, technology-driven innovation, and entrepreneurship. They believe everyone, especially youth and underserved groups, should have equal access to future-ready skills, technology, and economic opportunities.

Ruhee Shah, Global Partnerships Coordinator at the Raspberry Pi Foundation, spoke to Abide Tuncer, Code Club Coordinator at Habitat Association, about how translation is helping thousands of young Turkish coders build with confidence in their own language.

Tell your story through code

Habitat Association currently runs 10 Code Clubs across 8 cities, alongside sessions held in public schools, regional STEM centres, and container classrooms in disaster-affected areas. Every session welcomes creators aged 7 to 14, working alongside volunteer mentors, local educators, and university students on coding challenges, game design, and digital literacy activities.

Rather than treating coding as a technical subject meant for a handful of people, Habitat Association’s mentors present it as a creative outlet — an activity that can be shaped around a learner’s own interests and questions. Mistakes are treated as part of the process, and young coders are encouraged to build their own projects rather than follow a fixed script. It’s an approach designed to help young people who might not see themselves as “coders” discover that they already are one.

‘’In our clubs, we don’t just explain how technology works; we give children a universal voice to tell their own stories, solve real problems, and shape the world they want to see.’’
Ezgi, Mentor

The power of translation

Earlier this year, Habitat Association’s team started working with the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s translation network to translate Code Club projects into Turkish. Ten projects have been completed so far, with plans to add 5 to 10 more by the end of 2026, and a longer-term goal of translating around 20 projects a year, building what Habitat Association calls “a living library” that grows alongside the needs of Turkish-speaking children.

“Language is often the first barrier for young learners, and having materials in Turkish lets students focus on understanding coding logic. Instead of struggling with unfamiliar English instructions, children can now dive straight into problem-solving, game design, and digital storytelling with genuine confidence in their native tongue.”

– Abide Tuncer, Code Club Coordinator, Habitat Association

The project has gone beyond simply swapping out English words for Turkish ones. Habitat Association’s team has also adapted project narratives, character sprites, and everyday examples so that they reflect local culture, humour, and storytelling traditions that children across Türkiye grow up with. They’ve also helped us to align activities with Turkish school routines, national holidays, and community life. The result is that coding no longer feels unfamiliar, but something young learners can engage in easily.

The change is visible in the clubs themselves. Children who once needed extra help just to get started are now moving straight into building, and mentors are seeing greater enthusiasm and engagement across every session. Translated projects have also given Habitat Association’s volunteer mentors clearer, more practical teaching resources, helping them run sessions with more confidence and consistency — whether a club meets in a city centre, a rural youth hub, a container classroom, or the Mobile Training Vehicle.

“Seeing students light up as they discover new, fun ways to learn coding has been the most rewarding part of being on the translation team. What used to feel like a subject only for ‘techy’ kids now feels open to everyone, because they can finally focus on creating instead of translating. I’m so proud watching them go from hesitant beginners to confidently calling themselves coders.”

– Tuğba, Translator for the Code Club Projects

That confidence has already translated into real creations. Since the first localised projects launched, students have been building and sharing their own interactive games and animations entirely in Turkish, something that would not have been possible before.

Looking ahead

For the rest of the year, Habitat Association plans to expand its library of translated projects, grow its volunteer network, and connect Code Club participants with wider opportunities to turn their ideas into real projects and competition entries. The goal is to move clubs beyond one-way learning spaces, into places where children experiment, build, and share with confidence.

“We want them to leave with the feeling that they are not simply coding for the future, they are coding the present… the choices, ideas and creations they make today can become part of the legacy they leave for tomorrow.”

– Abide Tuncer, Code Club Coordinator, Habitat Association

By meeting children in their own language and their own communities, Habitat Association is proving that removing a single barrier can open the door for thousands of creators.

Want to start creating? Explore our coding projects that are available over 25 languages.