We are deeply saddened by the unfolding of another mining disaster in Turkey. Our thoughts are with the families, friends of the miners and everyone impacted by this tragedy in Ermenek, Karaman.

We wanted to use this opportunity to announce the recipients of Turkish Philanthropy Funds’ Soma Disaster Relief Fund:

• Anne Cocuk Egitim Vakfi (Mother Child Education Foundation, ACEV) in the amount of $30,000
• Cagdas Yasami Destekleme Dernegi (Association for the Support of Contemporary Living, CYDD) in the amount of $45,000
• Darussafaka Cemiyeti (Darussafaka Society) in the amount of $45,000

We were able to provide this support because of friends like you. During TPF’s Soma Disaster Relief Fund campaign, our community has once again came together: More than 500 donors trusted their funds to TPF, eight Turkish-American organizations channeled their giving through TPF and many directed their members to give to TPF’s campaign. Thank you.

After analyzing the needs in detail, since the government’s disaster agency, AFAD, provided

emergency aid for recovery, TPF has decided to give support to rebuilding and resilience efforts in the town of Soma and surrounding. Turkish Philanthropy Funds has taken the below circumstances into consideration in grantmaking:

• Most of the relief efforts targeted Soma. However, the victims spread to more than 15 towns.
• All scholarships to the children of the miners who have lost their lives during the mining disaster are being administered by AFAD.
• We lost 301 lives at the Soma mining disaster. This left 418 children with no fathers. Thirty-two percent of these children are under the age of five, 38 percent are attending elementary school, and 24 percent are over 12 years of age. Fifty-one percent of school-aged children are boys and 49 percent are girls.

Based on these findings, TPF has decided to fund the following projects:

Establishment of a Child Education Center in Kinik by ACEV: The Child Education Center, which will address the mid to long-term needs of the towns affected by the disaster, will be operated in partnership with the Ministry of Family and Social Affairs and the local municipality. The center will operate a variety of educational programs from pre-school education, play and reading groups and family education to adult literacy, serving 1,500 to 2,000 families per year.

Establishment of a Cultural Activity Center in Soma by CYDD: The Cultural Activity Center will feature playrooms for children, provide psychosocial support and offer skill-building workshops to both men and women. TPF’s grant will assist CYDD in the purchase of the building that will house the center and will help with the operating costs of the first year.

Scholarships through Darussafaka Society: Darussafaka Society with approval from AFAD provides scholarships students who lost their fathers at the mining tragedy. TPF grant will provide full scholarships for one year at Darussafaka Schools to four students who qualified by passing an entrance exam.

Turkish Philanthropy Funds continues its search for projects that can diversify income generation in the town of Soma and neighboring communities. The remaining funds will be used to support organizations that can provide new avenues for revenue generation and increase opportunities for employment in sectors other than mining.

We appreciate your trust in Turkish Philanthropy Funds and thank you once again for your generosity.

Kind Regards,

Team TPF