Natural disasters impact everyone, but they hit those with special needs particularly hard, disrupting their routines and making it challenging to regulate their emotions and behaviors. In these moments, they need more than just help; they need understanding and support to find their way through the chaos.

That’s where Down Turkiye steps in, extending a helping hand to children with Down syndrome and their families since the very onset of the earthquake. Their mission is to ensure every child with Down syndrome feels supported, valued, and happy — not just a statement, but a heartfelt commitment. Through initiatives like special education classrooms in containers filled with activities and learning, as well as psychosocial support and therapies, Down Turkiye is not just providing care but instilling hope in the hearts of those most in need.

As we approach World Down Syndrome Day on March 21st, let us stand in solidarity with @downturkiye . Let’s not just stand, but walk with them, wearing mismatched socks as a symbol of our unity and unwavering support. Let’s paint the world with the vibrant colors of acceptance, inclusion, and love. #rengimizbelliolsun ❤️🩷🧡💛💚🩵💙💜

Cagdas Yasami Destekleme Dernegi (CYDD) sure does not think so. They understand that knowing how to code in today’s tech-driven world is invaluable. “Coding is a fundamental skill to have these days along with math and reading. Only the kids who go to private schools have the opportunity to learn to code because it is rarely taught in public schools. At Cagdas Yasami Destekleme Dernegi (CYDD), we wanted to offer this opportunity to children who are underprivileged” says Sevgi Duru Orhon, the Lead Project Manager.Cagdas Yasami Destekleme Dernegi (CYDD) aims to create a fun and engaging environment where children not only learn to code but also strengthen their digital literacy skills by designing games and websites. It is a wonderful way to prepare these young girls and boys for a future with more career options.

Knowing that coding is anticipated to become not an ivory-tower skill but an everyday one, Cagdas Yasami Destekleme Dernegi (CYDD) offers coding classes to public school students- Grades 5th – 7th- with limited financial means. The program started in 2016 at the ÇYDD İzmir, Çeşme and Soma and will be offered in other branches. “Our aim is to offer coding courses throughout Turkey to prepare as many children as we can for our rapidly changing world,” notes Ms. Orhon. There are additional benefits to coding instruction other than preparing students for careers. Coding contains the seeds for everything from problem-solving to ethical responsibility as well as mathematics and language. Accordingly, the project is designed to cover three courses. The first two courses teach the logic of algorithms and computer coding in a fun and creative way. The third course covers basic mobile applications and robotics and prepares to participate children for various competitions.

The project is run by volunteer students, who themselves receive a scholarship through CYDD, majoring in Computer Science and Informational Technology. One of the volunteers, Kerem, while sharing the joy of being a part of the program noted, “too often, we’re just passive consumers of technology. But coding puts students in the driver’s seat and gives them the responsibility to think differently about the technology they use in their everyday lives.” Another volunteer, Ayse highlighted how learning coding helped her build her self-confidence. She further noted, “the reward a student feels when creating something on his or her own is almost unmatched. And, I am so happy to be able to provide that to unprivileged students just like me.”

Kids have their own approach to these classes. Students do not see coding as something they have to learn but as something, they want to learn. “I love all my teachers. We learned a lot about coding. We create our own games and at the end of the class, we present what we have created for our parents which is very rewarding,” says Rabia a student, participating in the program. Another student, Busra, shared with enthusiasm why she loves the classes, “I love showing people how to play my games and help teach other people how to make games too.” They just think it’s lots of fun to design video games, create websites, and make robots move. “They don’ realize the value these classes add to them now but will in the future,” a teacher says. “Learning coding at a young age makes kids better thinkers and communicators. They learn to tell a story in exact order. Because many children use video games to learn to code, they know how to follow or even create their storyline or code sequence.” says Ms. Orhon. She further notes that parents are satisfied knowing that their child is not limited in knowledge. Besides only using smartphones and tablets, there is more to strive for, and coding is a great skill to have in this technology-oriented world.

So? What do you think? Is it too early to teach kids to code? If you agree with Cagdas Yasami Destekleme Dernegi (CYDD), support their project!

Robert was a journalist, filmmaker and news executive, who, later in life, taught Journalism at Bahcesehir University in Istanbul.

Early on, Robert knew journalism in Turkey needed a boost. He wanted to elevate the profession by encouraging more university students to pursue journalism as their choice of study. The classes he taught were small, less than ten students per class, which spoke to a weakness in the field that he believed needed to be rectified.

After his passing in 2016, Joan Rebecca Siregar-Long, Long’s widow, wanted to establish a program in his honor that encourages young people seeking careers in journalism. “I knew it was the right fit for Turkish journalists as my wish has been to honor Robert’s life-long ambition of empowering journalists” said Joan Rebecca.

TPF became the facilitator and did research on possible partnership opportunities with various universities. The outcome was to establish a Fellowship program in Robert’s name with Nieman Foundation at Harvard University for Turkish journalists. Fellowship recipients will audit courses at Harvard, MIT and Tufts, attend lectures, talks and seminars by experts in a variety of fields and join a tight-knit community of fellows from all over the world.

Nieman Foundation’s Curator, Ann Marie Lipinsky said “This is a critical time for journalism in Turkey and we are so honored to be able to offer this fellowship. We learned from Robert’s colleagues what a significant impact he had on their work and on journalism more broadly and we look forward to this fellowship having a significant impact on a new generation of journalists. We are grateful to Joan Rebecca for seeing the value in the Nieman experience and for entrusting us to help fortify Turkish journalists for the important work ahead.”

As Robert lived by the phrase ‘Always seek out the answers, do not be afraid’ the fellowship that bears his name is dedicated to helping journalists thrive and never be alone in their pursuit of truth.

When Joan Rebecca was asked what Robert would say today about the fellowship she simply replied “He would smile and his eyes would tear, knowing that his support to those in his profession would live on”.  Joan Rebecca would say to him, “Through this initiative, I am channeling you”.

Be a part of the movement. Elevate the profession. Share this fellowship with a friend or apply yourself.

The international application deadline for the 2018-2019 academic year is Dec. 1, 2017.

The fellowship will be offered for the next three years. Interested candidates should apply online to Harvard University’s Nieman Fellowship program. Information about eligibility and the application process is available on the Nieman website.

Contributions to honor Robert L. Long’s name are also accepted at this time.

Robert was a journalist, filmmaker and news executive, who, later in life, taught Journalism at Bahcesehir University in Istanbul.

Early on, Robert knew journalism in Turkey needed a boost. He wanted to elevate the profession by encouraging more university students to pursue journalism as their choice of study. The classes he taught were small, less than ten students per class, which spoke to a weakness in the field that he believed needed to be rectified.

After his passing in 2016, Joan Rebecca Siregar-Long, Long’s widow, wanted to establish a program in his honor that encourages young people seeking careers in journalism. “I knew it was the right fit for Turkish journalists as my wish has been to honor Robert’s life-long ambition of empowering journalists” said Joan Rebecca.

TPF became the facilitator and did research on possible partnership opportunities with various universities. The outcome was to establish a Fellowship program in Robert’s name with Nieman Foundation at Harvard University for Turkish journalists. Fellowship recipients will audit courses at Harvard, MIT and Tufts, attend lectures, talks and seminars by experts in a variety of fields and join a tight-knit community of fellows from all over the world.

Nieman Foundation’s Curator, Ann Marie Lipinsky said “This is a critical time for journalism in Turkey and we are so honored to be able to offer this fellowship. We learned from Robert’s colleagues what a significant impact he had on their work and on journalism more broadly and we look forward to this fellowship having a significant impact on a new generation of journalists. We are grateful to Joan Rebecca for seeing the value in the Nieman experience and for entrusting us to help fortify Turkish journalists for the important work ahead.”

As Robert lived by the phrase ‘Always seek out the answers, do not be afraid’ the fellowship that bears his name is dedicated to helping journalists thrive and never be alone in their pursuit of truth.

When Joan Rebecca was asked what Robert would say today about the fellowship she simply replied “He would smile and his eyes would tear, knowing that his support to those in his profession would live on”.  Joan Rebecca would say to him, “Through this initiative, I am channeling you”.

Be a part of the movement. Elevate the profession. Share this fellowship with a friend or apply yourself.

The international application deadline for the 2018-2019 academic year is Dec. 1, 2017.

The fellowship will be offered for the next three years. Interested candidates should apply online to Harvard University’s Nieman Fellowship program. Information about eligibility and the application process is available on the Nieman website.

Contributions to honor Robert L. Long’s name are also accepted at this time.

Just like any other young men, Jwan thinks about the future and has dreams. But unlike his peers, his dreams don’t include any career goals. All he wants in life is peace. He dreams of going back home where he had a simple yet a happy life surrounded by his loved ones. He wants to be able to do ordinary things he never appreciated before like going to school, discussing sports with his friends, dining with his family. And, he believes that “the Eye of Syria” will help him achieve that. He wants to make a film with his recordings to show what this war had cost them and hopes to restore peace in Syria.

We haven’t met Jwan in person but discovered his “big” dream through a short documentary, which features his life: The Boy with Camera by Ibrahim Yesilbas. It was through the New Film Fund that Jwan gained a voice and his story reached out to a broader audience. Co-founded by one of our partners, Anadolu Kultur, an Istanbul based NGOand !F (Istanbul Independent Film Festival), the New Film Fund supports the development, production and post-production of documentary film making in Turkey with a mission to encourage diversity and the free expression of diversity of voices. As the only independent platform, which provides funds to young documentary filmmakers besides the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Turkey, the New Film Fund awards between $2,000-$10,000 for each selected project. As they support over 30 documentaries each year, they provide young filmmakers an opportunity to address the social and cultural issues that our world faces. 

The Boy with Camera is just one of the many films that the New Film Fund supports. There are many other significant stories that you can discover through them such as a documentary that investigates the results of pink taxi service in Jordan, Iran and Pakistan, which deals with the issue of violence against women (Women Only), a film that recites the story of an unknown universe in which ponies are raised as commodities of racing and gambling (The Result Will be Determined by Photo Finish), a documentary about a transgender man struggling with self-realization and acceptance (Blue ID), a film about the difficult experience of an undocumented black migrant women living in Turkey (How Much?), a documentary that ells the story of a quite unorthodox beauty pageant (A Beauty Pageant)… Take a look at the New Film Funds project under Anadolu Kultur’s page to support them in empowering independent filmmakers to give a voice to those who need one. For more information about New Film Fund and the films they support, visit their website.

Dear Friends and Supporters of TPF,

I am reaching out on behalf of Turkish Philanthropy Funds, to ask you to join me in celebrating TPF’s 8th birthday. I recently joined the team as a Goodwill Ambassador to advocate for TPF’s projects supporting human development, in hopes that you’ll, in turn, join me.
             
              First, let me describe human development in my own words. It is the process which enables people to reach their highest possible potential for the betterment of themselves as well as the development of the society in which they live. Without the support of their family, society and government, this process cannot occur.
                      
              Years of research has proven that money alone will not allow for a country to grow. Rather, the number one obstacle for a nation’s development was the insufficient attention given to the people themselves, human development. Unfortunately, this is the case for Turkey. We’ve spent enormous efforts on financial investment and have become world’s 17th largest economy. However, in terms of human development, we fare much worse as 86th in the world.
                       
              Therefore, I must emphasize that people should always be at the center of development. Without adequate human development, economic growth, social progress and advancement in knowledge, our world will never find a balanced harmony.
                                  
           In Turkey, TPF has always put people first. They are the leading foundation connecting global resources necessary to undertake and realize such urgent important tasks and reforms. TPF supports education for children with Autism, art therapy for disaster survivors, treatment for leukemia patients, green farming and much more. Please join me in supporting TPF in its efforts to strengthen social and economic development.

Turkish Philanthropy Funds is at the heart of it all, so let’s celebrate its birthday by supporting its mission. I stand with TPF for social and economic development. Will you join me?

Make a tax-deductible donation today.

Üner Kırdar

Dr. Üner Kirdar, is a retired Turkish diplomat and UN’s senior civil servant. He is the author, editor and/or contributor of more than sixteen books on global issues and human development. He has been called “…one of the early and main conceptual leaders of  Human Development theory.” Since mid-1980 he has advocated and worked for the concept’s world-wide adoption, as well as how international co-operation can help better human condition.
 

Reyhan is a 12 year-old girl from Viranşehir, Urfa. For the last three years she has been working in seasonal migratory agriculture and she migrates with her family since she was born. She wants to start school, but she hasn’t been back to her hometown for the last 4 years migrating from one city to the other to plant watermelons, to hoe sugar beets, harvest apricots, hazelnuts, chickpeas… Reyhan is very hardworking and she wants to be an English teacher one day. However, she doesn’t know if she will ever be back to her hometown and stay there to continue school.

Your gift will support children just like Reyhan, who are working tirelessly to support their families.

Support to Life (STL) was founded in 2005 in order to provide access to the basic rights and meet the needs of individuals affected by natural and man-made disasters. Since 2012, STL runs projects to prevent disadvantaged children from working in migratory seasonal agriculture. As a Turkey-based non-governmental humanitarian organization, STL acts with the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence and accountability.

GIVE HERE.

FullThankYou from Turkish Philanthropy Funds on Vimeo.

Happy birthday UN!

Today, in 1945, the United Nations was formed to create an international agency to maintain peace and security, to develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and to achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian issues.

What can you do today to support the UN’s mission and purpose?

The UN’s goals and values are realized through education, gender equality, rights of persons with disabilities and more.

Say Happy Birthday to the UN by supporting their causes through TPF!

Search TPF’s projects that support education, gender equality and social & economic development.

“I didn’t know men could be Secretary of State,” said the 8-year old daughter of Fred Turner, a senior official at the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe when he told his daughter that John Kerry was the new Secretary of State. It’s amazing how role models can change the perspective of a new generation.  That and more are what’s needed in Turkey. Having rules and regulations to provide equality for women is not enough. Pressing questions that have repeatedly come up in recent years are: “Can Turkey’s economic growth be mirrored in the advancement of gender equality? And, can the growth of the economy continue without including women in every aspect of the social, political and economic life.” Answering these questions with a “Yes,” requires addressing the implementation of laws protecting women and girls at the local level and strengthening the capacity of organizations that work to empower them. The State Department can help.

“Gender is an integral component of daily life,” my former professor Marilyn Gittell would say, “It should be systematically included in every political, social and economic decision.” Studies prove that gender equality and women’s empowerment is a driver, and beneficiary of sustainable development. Adopting this understanding into foreign policy is the next step.

Women empowerment is not an area that was traditionally considered part of foreign policy discussions. That has changed. A series of female secretaries of state have shed light on the importance of women’s issues in resolving international challenges. Most recently, Hilary Clinton made advancing the status of women and girls worldwide an official requirement of every U.S. diplomat’s job description. Melanne Verveer, the first ambassador at large for global women’s issues says: “promoting the status of women is not just a moral imperative but a strategic one; it’s essential to economic prosperity and to global peace and security. It is, in other words, a strategy for a smarter foreign policy.” This year, on the International Women’s Day, the Secretary of State, John Kerry issued an Op-Ed piece which discusses why women are central to US foreign policy.

Through their communication with foreign governments US diplomats emphasize the truer participation in gender-responsive planning and budgeting and work with ministries to make sure that priorities are given and targeted measures are taken for locating sufficient resources for women and girls’ empowerment. Yet, policy making is just one aspect of empowering women. The most important piece of impacting gender gap lies in the implementation.

Sharon Anderholm Wiener, acting Ambassador for the Office of Global Women’s Issues, at a meeting addressing Turkish-Americans in April 2013 noted that the rules and regulations protecting women’s rights in Turkey are in place. In 1985 Turkey signed the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Turkey also approved the European Social Charters that protects women’s right for equal pay and employment during maternity and various ILO Conventions that regulate the right of women in the workforce. In 2008, a National Action Plan on Gender Equality was prepared with the goal of incorporating gender perspective into all main plans and programs of the government. However, having the legal system in place and implementing it is two different things.

Male-female disparity is seen in every aspect of life in Turkey from economic participation to educational opportunities. As I noted in an earlier article, Turkey needs both cultural and institutional change dealing with social issues facing girls and women. Women organizations understand the multiple actions that are needed to be taken to empower women. They know that sustainable investment on education, affordable childcare, job opportunities, advocacy, changing cultural perceptions are needed to effectively address empowerment of girls and women.  Yet, funding is limited.

Turkey’s non-profit sector largely depends on funding from the European Union. The philanthropy sector hasn’t developed to catch up with the growth. There aren’t many grantmaking foundations –Sabanci Foundation, Vodafone Foundation and Acik Toplum Vakfi to name a few. This leaves NGOs with limited funding resources. In the international development area, Turkey is not seen as a traditional receiver country. Even though Turkey contributed more than $1bn in humanitarian aid last year, making it the fourth-largest government donor, the country’s non-profit sector is at a loss. These women organizations are doing great things. They have been very instrumental in the changes in the Constitution, and Turkish Civil and Criminal Codes concerning women. The State Department funding cannot only provide funding for programming but also for the building of the philanthropic capacity of these organizations.

Women and girls empowerment should also be addressed at the grassroots level. An organization TPF supports in the Eastern city of Van was a great example of how funding can grow the scale of these interventions at the local level. Kilim weaving workshops started  in Van by a local, Enver Ozkahraman, grew its numbers to eight when a businessman from Istanbul learned about them from this video. Since their paths merged, the number of girls impacted with the workshops increased. But, beyond the numbers when you listen to the stories of these girls, you see what kind of change these small interventions are making in a girls’ and eventually in her family’s lives. .

A recent U.N. report on the Post-2015 Development Agenda notes that social investments will only generate the biggest possible return if we make sure women and girls benefit from them equally. Women make up a half of potential human capital available in the global economy. The efficient use of this talent pool is important. We need more Hilary Clintons as Secretary of State to break cultural barriers on the global arena and change perceptions. But, we also need more people advocating for women in foreign policy and women’s issues. As Hilary Clinton once noted: “When women participate in the economy, everyone benefits. When women participate in peacemaking and peacekeeping, we are all safer and all secure. And, when women participate in politics, the effects ripple out across society.”