In celebration of our community and the spirit of giving back, we invite you to join us for a special edition of our Voices of Partners series — Why I Give.

Hear from Hakkı Akbulak, Gamze Ateş, and Füsun Eczacıbaşı as they share their personal journeys in philanthropy and what creating positive change in the world means to them.

This inspiring online gathering is an opportunity to come together, celebrate the power of giving, and close the year with stories that remind us why community and compassion matter most.

Featured Speakers:

Hakkı Akbulak, President & CEO of AKDO
Gamze Ateş, Founder & CEO of My Beachy Side
Füsun Eczacıbaşı, Chair of the Board of SAHA Association, Architect, Collector, and Patron of the Arts

In the heart of a region still scarred by devastation, over 250 young people gathered not just to remember what was lost, but to rediscover what is possible.

The Tebdil-i Mekan Festival was more than a four-day event—it was a vibrant sanctuary where healing began, not in silence, but through laughter, creativity, and connection.

Organized by Talebeyiz Biz, in collaboration with fourteen remarkable NGOs including TPF.

The festival was co-created by 14- to 17-year-old Art Ambassadors, whose vision shaped every detail. Together, they transformed a difficult reality into a celebration of resilience and renewal.

Through juggling, crafting, parkour, volleyball, and music, participants reclaimed their right to play, to express, and to belong.

Each activity offered a breath of fresh air—a moment of peace, a spark of joy.

Even the unexpected wind and rain couldn’t dim the spirit of a festival imagined and led by the very youth it was built for.

Their resilience and determination to heal made this festival truly one of a kind.

Thank you for making it possible.

Support TPF Earthquake fund

Dilsu had set her mind for the nearly impossible, getting her masters at Columbia University, an ivy league school with an acceptance rate of 3.9%. Through hard work and dedication, Dilsu made the impossible possible and got in from a pool of 60,000+ applicants. But the real challenge now was affording the high cost of living and tuition. Then, something incredible happened. TPF believed in her. Thanks to a TPF scholarship, Dilsu has a chance to get top notch education at an Ivy League university.

Remember when someone believed in you?

Now, you can be that someone for a student like Dilsu. With your help, we can transform lives by enabling deserving students to study in the U.S. Just $17 a month can create a world of opportunities.

Join the #$17toEmpower Challenge today. Pledge $17 a month and help us make dreams come true, one student at a time.

Donate $17 a Month

Meet Can, a talented pianist from Ankara who had always dreamed of studying in the United States. After years of hard work, he was accepted into the prestigious Cleveland Institute of Music, but the overwhelming costs nearly made his dream impossible. That’s when Turkish Philanthropy Funds stepped in. With the help of a TPF scholarship, Can not only graduated but is now performing on world stages, sharing his music with audiences around the globe.

Remember when someone believed in you? Now you can be that person for another deserving student.

With your support, we can help transform lives by enabling talented students to pursue their education in the U.S. For just $17 a month, you can help create opportunities for students like Can. And here’s the exciting part: the first $40K in donations will be matched 1:1, doubling your impact!

Join the #$17toEmpower Challenge today, and together, let’s help more students follow their dreams.

Donate

Meet Emir and Demir, two brothers born with cerebral palsy. Their lives, shaped by the challenges of their condition, are a blend of struggle and hope. They faced an even greater challenge when a devastating earthquake struck their village.

Yet, they found solstice through Türkiye Spastik Çocuklar Vakfı (TSCV)’s invaluable efforts to care for and support communities with special needs in the region. TSCV’s mobile trucks reach them everyday in their village, even though they are far from the more accessible container cities.

Over time TSCV has broadened its reach out to every individual with disabilities, including those who lost limbs with the earthquake.

In their small yet impactful care hub made of containers, TSCV focuses on the holistic well-being of disabled individuals. Collaborating with fellow NGOs, TSCV spreads its resources for all.

We’re proud to stand with TSCV  as they inspire us with their mission to offer safety, care and support to our communities with special needs, without any limitations.

Meet Meryem, a bright and determined young girl from Kucuknefes village in Yozgat. On a regular day, she helps her parents, taking care of their farm animals, and helping her mom with the housework. 

But Meryem is not like other children in her village. What sets her apart is her passion for reading and her determination. While her peers played in the countryside, she preferred the company of books, and focused on her studies. Her biggest dream is to study at one of the best universities in Turkiye and become a judge, fighting for justice. 

Meryem’s hard work did not go unnoticed. When she took the full scholarship exams offered by TED (Turkish Education Association), she excelled. 

Today, Meryem is under the wings of TED, with the opportunity to excel in her studies without financial worries until she graduates from college. She now has a chance to become the judge she dreams to be. 

Meryem is like a diamond, shining brightly and precious. Yet, she is not the only one. There are thousands of children just like Meryem, relentlessly studying to overcome financial hardships. 

TED has a knack of identifying these diamonds and offering them unparalleled support, helping each one pursue their dreams. After the devastating earthquake last year, TED established a special scholarship fund to support children who lost their parents in the disaster. Today, over 800 students are part of this special fund, gradually overcoming the aftermath of the disaster and focusing on their dreams.

Thanks to your generosity, TPF supports 150 of these children, allowing them to pursue their future aspirations. Thank you for giving these diamonds a chance to shine with your kindness.

For over 160 years, Darüşşafaka has been a home of compassion for many children in Türkiye, providing full scholarships, boarding, and qualified education with full tuition for 8 years to 1,000 financially disadvantaged, talented children whose fathers or mothers are no longer alive. These children are given a chance to dream, learn, and succeed, paving the way for a brighter future.

Darüşşafaka’s campus solidifies an exemplary educational environment, encouraging critical thinking for its students and ensuring that they have equal opportunities in life to thrive.

Following the devastating earthquake on February 6th, they’ve committed to extending a helping hand further by increasing their campus capacity and opening its doors to earthquake-affected children. This expansion will allow them to welcome more children into Darüşşafaka Educational Institutions.

Your donation to Darüşşafaka helps cover all educational expenditures and students’ daily needs (clothing, accommodation, nutrition, health services, participation in cultural and social activities), as well as the essential resources that make transformative education accessible to many children.

Join us in empowering the next generation of leaders, innovators, and dreamers. Your contribution will light the future of our children!

In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’d like to spotlight the remarkable journey of Sumeyye, a testament to the transformative power of education and community support. Programs like ‘Sparks’ by the Change Leaders Association (DLD) help young women unlock their potential and shatter barriers to gender equality.

Sumeyye’s story not only illuminates the path to individual achievement but also embodies the broader appeal for investing in women and girls—a call to action that resonates deeply in today’s world, facing numerous crises from poverty to climate change. Thanks to your generosity, 112 resilient young women from earthquake-affected regions have had the opportunity to join the Sparks Program.

These empowered women are rebuilding their lives with newfound confidence and determination to pursue education despite the challenges they’ve faced. Through generosity and collective action, we have the power to create a world where gender equality is not just an aspiration but a reality, where every woman and girl has the opportunity to thrive, just like Sumeyye.

Here’s to changing statistics and narratives for the better! 💪🌟

Following the devastating earthquake in Southeastern Turkey, Hatay faced unprecedented destruction, including Serinyol Elementary and Middle School. Determined, TPF teamed up with the AKUT Foundation to swiftly build three schools with eight classrooms in Serinyol and Masuklu.

Today, the walls of these schools echo with laughter and learning, as 670 children prepare for a future filled with possibilities, healing from their losses, and reclaiming their dreams.

Our journey with the AKUT Foundation in Antakya shows the power of community. Witnessing the transformation of lives and the strengthening of spirits is a profound honor. Together, we’re not just rebuilding schools; we’re rebuilding futures.

Join us in continuing to support the resilient hearts of Antakya.

We are proud to present the Children Wellness Center at Cukurova University where compassion meets action. This center, born out of the aftermath of the twin earthquakes, offers support to amputated children through prostheses, physiotherapy, psychosocial support, and education.

The center is realized through the collective efforts of many. It all began with a seed planted by Turkish Philanthropy Funds. TPF’s initial funding was not just an investment in the establishment of Turkiye’s first and only rehabilitation center; but also ignited a powerful community movement.

Now serving nearly 200 children, the center has become a hub of health, healing, and innovation. From the vision of a few Turkish-American doctors to TPF’s seed funding and the contributions of many, the Children Wellness Center at Cukurova University exemplifies what’s possible when we come together.

Thank you for your outpouring of support to our Earthquake Fund. We couldn’t have done it without you.

We are committed to supporting the center for years to come, and we invite you to join us in making a positive impact on the futures of these children.