Denizli Foster Care Association Chairperson Ayfer Doğan works in the area of foster care since 17 years. Ayfer Doğan, who has two biological sons, became the foster parent of four children. As the founder and the chairperson of Denizli Foster Care Association, Ayfer Doğan works for growing the foster care model throughout the country. She levels up her work to national and international scale through Foster Care Association.

In developed countries, 85% of the children who are under government care live with foster parents, unfortunately, this ratio is only 30% in Turkey. Although foster parenting is not well-known in Turkey, there are people working to increase the number of foster parents. Many projects were conducted to present foster care and increase the number of foster parents. More than 10 thousand people were reached with the projects “One Child, One Smile” and “I am not Afraid of Dark Anymore”. The Association organized a national foster care conference, where the problems and solution proposals of foster care system were discussed. The Association contributed to quality of foster care practices in Turkey through “Each Child has the Right to Grow in a Loving and Caring Family” project. Under the leadership of Ayfer Doğan, the Association contributes to the system together with 78 families, who are also members of the association.

Ayfer Doğan gathered foster parents like herself under a single roof. She led the organization of trainings and seminars for their self-development.  She led other people learn what it meant to become a foster parent through the conferences and seminars organized all around Turkey. She informed tens of families so that they participate in foster care system. She organized projects for the improvement of the system. She made a big difference in the lives of foster parents as well as the lives of children who live with foster families.