Dear Friend: Happy Mother’s Day! I am a big fan of Turkish Philanthropy Funds. I might have a bias since my son, Mustafa Kemal Abadan, is one of the founders and serves on TPF board. But, beyond that, TPF’s commitment to philanthropy has never ceased to amaze and inspire me. So, I hope you’ll join…
By Senay Ataselim-Yilmaz This article was originally posted on Huffington Post. Recently the world of philanthropy gathered for the annual conference of Global Philanthropy Forum (GPF), an organization that embodies the changing landscape of global philanthropy as it aims to inform, enable, and enhance strategic global social investing. Diaspora philanthropy was not a major discussion…
By: Melis Figanmese Originally published in the Huffington Post. Shocked by its beauty, as the plane landed into the city of Van, in the southeastern region of Turkey, we were engulfed by the bluest of blue water from the lake and snowcapped mountains. On our airplane, Dayle Haddon, UNICEF Ambassador and Founder of WomenOne, and…
By: Melis Figanmese When a woman has the chance to work and earn her own money, the outcome is outstanding. Not only will that woman lift herself and her family out of poverty, but her pride and confidence will skyrocket. She will pass this same poise onto her children, which will have a lasting effect,…
By Melis Figanmese This article was originally posted on Huffington Post. In order to provide Founder of Women One and UNICEF Ambassador, Dayle Haddon, with a true understanding of the situation of women in Turkey, Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF) felt it was essential to visit various cities throughout our vast, dynamic and diverse country. Each…
By Gunce Arkan Last year, when our daughter Ayla turned three, we went the predictable three-year-old birthday party route. Reluctant to have her twenty friends in our NY apartment, we rented a small children’s party area, had some food delivered, got a cake, prepared games, and bought party favors. It was not an extravagant event…
By Melis Figanmese This post was originally posted on Huffington Post World. How many adults do you know personally who cannot read or write? What if I opened a window to show you a world where literacy, access to education and women’s rights are more uncommon than you may think? On top of that, I…
This post was originally posted on Huffington Post. By Senay Ataselim Yilmaz At the age of seven I was stuck with the dream of “being a doctor” because that was an acceptable occupation for women in Turkey, even though my true dream was to be an astronaut. When I finished Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In,…
By: Özgül GÜREL of Tohum Autism Foundation Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disorder that appears before age three. It is characterized by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and rigid and repetitive behaviors. It includes subtypes known as autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, Rett syndrome, and Asperger…
By: Melis Figanmese The UNDP 2013 Human Development Report focuses on the economic growth of developing nations and factors that have significant impact in this progress. Turkey is consistently referred to as a nation in the South that has boomed economically over the past years, but is still socially lagging behind other traditionally North states.…