Turkiye Earthquake Relief Efforts

Dear TPF Donors,

Since the devastating earthquakes of 2023, your generosity has continued to bring healing, learning, and hope to Türkiye. Together, we have raised $20.5 million and granted $16.1 million to 93 local and national organizations, supporting 175 transformative projects that have reached millions across the country.

With this report, we want to share that your support has been a lifeline for children rediscovering joy through art, parents learning to rebuild trust, and families finding comfort in renewed routines of school and community. From classrooms on wheels that bring coding lessons to rural towns, to therapy sessions where colors and stories replace fear with courage, each project reflects your compassion in action.

More than rebuilding what was lost, these programs are creating pathways to resilience — helping children heal emotionally, empowering families to reconnect, and ensuring that learning and opportunity continue, even in the most challenging circumstances.

As we look ahead, TPF remains steadfast in its commitment to community-driven recovery and long-term sustainability. The stories below highlight just a few of the many ways your generosity continues to shape brighter futures across Türkiye.

Healing Hearts Through Art

Organization: Maya Foundation
Project: Navigating Challenges Through Shadows — Mental Health Support for Communities Impacted by the 2023 Türkiye–Syria Earthquake and Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis

In the aftermath of the earthquakes, Maya Foundation launched an emergency mental health and psychosocial support program to address the deep emotional distress among survivors. Through a $49,225 grant from TPF, the foundation deployed three mobile teams across multiple provinces to provide structured group therapy for children, positive parenting sessions for caregivers, and individual counseling.

The project directly supported 533 people in Hatay, including 288 children and their families, exceeding targets across all service areas. The initiative became a lifeline—helping children rediscover joy and parents rebuild emotional resilience.

Healing Through Art
In one Hatay community center, a young girl who had lost her home began attending group art therapy sessions. At first, she sat silently, refusing to draw. Gradually, guided by Maya’s therapists, she began expressing her feelings through colors and shapes. By the program’s end, she was helping other children choose materials and lead small activities—becoming a beacon of confidence and healing.

Empowering Caregivers
Parenting sessions also transformed family dynamics. One mother shared that, after learning new communication techniques, she and her son could finally talk about the earthquake without fear—rebuilding trust and emotional connection that had long been fractured.

Looking Ahead
Building on this success, Maya Foundation plans to expand its trauma-informed programs across the region. By strengthening collaboration with local institutions, the foundation aims to ensure that mental health and psychosocial support become a lasting, community-driven resource for children and families.

Through your support, Maya Foundation is proving that healing can start with a brushstroke, a story, a conversation—and grow into a lifelong journey of resilience and hope.

Lighting the Way to Learning

Organization: Education Volunteers Foundation of Türkiye (TEGV)
Project: Firefly Project — Mobile Education Support for Earthquake-Affected Children

With the support of Turkish Philanthropy Funds, TEGV’s Firefly Project reignited the spirit of learning for children aged 6–14 in Diyarbakir, one of the regions most deeply affected by the earthquakes. The Firefly—a mobile education unit—was quickly repaired and relaunched after the disaster, bringing quality, interactive education directly to children for two consecutive years.

Focusing on Information Technologies (IT), the program offered engaging lessons in coding, robotics, and algorithmic thinking through hands-on kits and digital platforms like Algo Digital. In doing so, it not only strengthened cognitive and problem-solving skills but also inspired digital literacy and safe technology use.

During this period, the project reached 1,478 children—far surpassing its target of 1,000—and achieved full gender balance, welcoming an equal number of girls and boys.

A Safe Space for Growth and Joy
One girl who joined the Firefly was initially shy and withdrawn, hesitant to participate. Within days, she began engaging joyfully with her peers, her confidence blossoming with every session. Her mother later visited the team to express heartfelt thanks, saying her daughter had “become a happier and more open child.”

Parents across the community shared similar stories of transformation. Children eagerly anticipated each day’s activities, and families even began exploring coding apps together at home. The Firefly Project became more than a classroom—it became a hub of curiosity, creativity, and connection.

Looking Ahead
Building on its success, TEGV continues to operate the Firefly in earthquake-affected and socioeconomically disadvantaged regions through 2026. Future plans include expanding IT-based content and integrating modules that combine creativity, technology, and social-emotional learning—ensuring that every child, no matter where they are, has the opportunity to dream, learn, and thrive.

Through your partnership, the Firefly is illuminating pathways to possibility—proving that education is one of the most powerful tools for rebuilding both futures and hope.

Together Toward Tomorrow

Your generosity continues to turn compassion into action, hope into healing, and dreams into tangible change. Because of you, communities are not just rebuilding—they are reimagining what’s possible.

From mental health to education, from art therapy to digital literacy, your support ensures that the people of Türkiye are equipped with the tools, strength, and courage to move forward.

With deepest gratitude,

Team TPF