Turkey has a large population of young people, and the largest population of refugees in the world.
Education is a top issue, and a key concern is the significantly low level of secondary schooling. Being out of school during adolescence disproportionally affects girls, who are less likely to be employed and face risks of child marriage and early pregnancy. Young women have a lower rate of employment than young men, despite equal educational achievements. Even those enrolled in formal education often can’t develop marketable skills and lack access to employment opportunities. These burdens are felt most strongly in marginalised communities and are often exacerbated by crises.
In Turkey, EMpower seeks to promote safety and well-being and ensure continued education for vulnerable young people, particularly girls, Syrian migrants, those living with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ individuals. There are very few girl-centred programmes in Turkey, so EMpower seeks to orient organisations to this approach. EMpower is also supporting populations affected by the February 2023 earthquakes to deal with their trauma and to continue their education.
Our partners in Turkey:
Istanbul | Funded Since: 2018
CSMD aims to enable youth to protect their mental and sexual health by increasing their knowledge and awareness of dating violence, gender equity, intimate/emotional relationships, individual boundaries, and consent.
Ankara | Funded Since: 2022
EGED focuses on supporting young people with disabilities (especially the blind) by increasing education and employment opportunities, challenging society's perception of disability, increasing accessibility to technology, and decreasing discrimination.
Istanbul | Funded Since: 2018
Genc Hayat Vakfi uses innovative and supportive approaches to help children and young people discover and develop their skills, with programmes in child labour prevention, youth employability, academics, psychosocial support, and social cohesion.
Ankara | Funded Since: 2022
ICHILD aims to promote and protect children’s rights, working in solidarity and cooperation with them and prioritising their right to participate.
Istanbul | Funded Since: 2019
Kodluyoruz aims to create career opportunities in technology and coding for talented but socio-economically disadvantaged youth by providing high-quality tech education and coding literacy and combating gender-based prejudices in the sector.
Istanbul | Funded Since: 2019
KODA is group of educators, volunteers, teachers, and families that aims to ensure that all young people living in villages and rural neighbourhoods receive a quality education.
Istanbul | Funded Since: 2021
Maya Foundation improves access to quality mental health and psycho-social support, provides inclusive education, and ensures safety for marginalised young people—with a special focus on young Syrian refugees.
Istanbul | Funded Since: 2017
Sulukule Volunteers works with children living in poverty, who have a high school dropout rate, are often exposed to violence at home, and who face discrimination in schools due to their ethnic background.
Istanbul | Funded Since: 2022
Suna'nın Kızları (Suna's Daughters) strives to promote girls’ access to education and provide support for their developmental needs so that they can complete their educational journey and attain future employment.
Istanbul | Funded Since: 2021
We Need to Talk Association works towards menstrual justice and ending period poverty for people that menstruate, by expanding the limited definition of menstruators and addressing their care practices and needs within the Turkish context.
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Our Board Directors and the Leadership Council underwrite all of our Management, General and Fundraising expenses, so 100% of your donation goes directly to empowering marginalised young people.