Changemakers - Fark Yaratanlar
Fark Yaratanlar

Changemakers

Meet Changemakers who choose to be part of the solution to an existing problem, who demonstrate an example for an active citizen, who create innovative solutions for a concrete and sustainable change, who make social contributions with measurable effects, and who inspire others with their stories.
Themes
Cities
Season
Economic Development
Yeşim Bekyürek - Cappadocia Organic Agriculture Producers Association

Social Justice
Sibel Kaya - Let's Sign

Education
Hale Uçuş - Barrier-Free Mathematics Education Platform

Civic Participation
Gülçin Cömert – Antandros Association

Environment
Elif Oğuzbal Çatıkkaş & Yasemin Kırkağaçlıoğlu - Kokopelli in the City

Social Justice
Ayşenur Sena Tarakçı - Non Pigmented Person

Education
Gökçen Göksel - Oyun Atlası

Social Justice
Murat Kefeli - Körüz Biz

Economic Development
Nesteren Şencan Görgülü - Kadınlar Matinesi

Education
Onur Kahvecioğlu - Müzikist

Education
Rumeysa Çevlik - Doğadaki Sınıf

Social Justice
Zülal Tannur - From Your Eyes

Social Justice
Seda Fırın - Kekele TV

Education
Ferda Salık – Diyarbakır’s Cultural Ambassadors

Education
Erdinç Erdem Bakkal - A Spark of Science in Şırnak

Social Justice
Dilek Demir - Neighborhood Head of Muradiye in Bağlar, Diyarbakır

Education
Suat Arı – Everyone in This Village Is Athlete

Suat Arı, who introduced 120 students, 45 of whom were girls, to 14 different branches such as bocce, dart, softball, baseball, field hockey, cricket, rugby, flag football, and orienteering and made them become licensed athletes.

Civic Participation
Fixers Club

Fixers Club has repaired 60 streets in different cities of Turkey with more than 1,000 volunteers with the motto of "to repair, to produce and to share".

Social Justice
Accessible Everything

Accessible Everything continues its activities with the motto of “If there is accessibility, there is no disability”.

Education
Gamze Elibol - Culture, Art and Education Center for People With Disabilities of Turkey

Elibol, who so far has performed 500 plays and eight musicals on many different social issues such as traffic accidents to violence against women, meets the educational and medical needs of more than 120 disabled girls with all the income from these shows.

Education
Fatih Küçük - The Cartoon Mill

Fatih Küçük continues to shape the future of children and bring them together with art thanks to his contributions to cartoon and art education.

Health
İlayda Eskitaşçıoğlu - We Need to Talk

İlayda who founded “We Need to Talk” platform in Ankara at the end of 2016, which operates in İstanbul now, continues to work all around Turkey.

Education
Nusrettin Biçer/ Abdulkadir Korkmaz - Reading is Being on the Road

Nusrettin and Abdulkadir are teachers who visit the villages of Şanlıurfa with the project 'Reading is Being on the Road' and come together with the children.

Social Justice
Yağmur Özgür Güven – Anti-Vivisection Association

Yağmur Özgür Güven continues to work in Anti-Vivisection Association, of which she has been among the founders since 2019.

Civic Participation
Zahit Mungan – Chasing the Kite

Zahit, who combines local figures and motifs with the kites, organizes workshops so that children can also learn how to make a kite.

Civic Participation
Hakan Yücel (The Cycling Librarian)

The Cycling Librarian, combining the books gifted by volunteers and his professional skills, delivers the books to schools, classifying them according to the age groups and interests of the students, and taking into account the number of students.

Health
Cystic Fibrosis Patient and Family Association of Turkey

The Association works to both improve the lives of patients and their relatives, and to raise the awareness of public and health workers.

Health
Theodora Giggle Doctors

Visit children receiving long-term treatment in hospital and make them laugh, taking them out of the hospital environment...

Social Justice
Association for Struggle against Sexual Violence

The Association for Struggle against Sexual Violence was founded in 2014 by a group of activists to make sexual violence more visible, widely spoken about and debated.

Civic Participation
Pozy

Pozy, which aims to only provide happy news, presents the news to the reader after filtering them through its emotional analysis system.

Environment
Lisinia Nature

Within the scope of the Lisinia project, plants indigenous to the region’s nature were started to be produced at the villages near Burdur. In this way, the local people were both introduced to new products and continuing to farm without disrupting the natural balance.

Health
Living with Allergy Association

The Living with Allergy Association operates to defend the rights of allergy patients, to communicate their problems to the relevant authorities and to find solutions together.

Social Justice
Hasan Kızıl (Life Mendel)

Hasan Kızıl initially made the walkers he designed for animals by breaking up wheeled paraphernalia he found at home like the toy car.

Education
Talking Hands

Pelin Baykan who has learnt Turkish Sign Language voluntarily, started a social initiative called “Talking Hands”.

Social Justice
Elazığ Social Cooperation Sports Club Association

İsmail Bayraktar is a teacher; at the same time, he has dedicated his life to the sport of handball since 1991.

Civic Participation
Center for Spatial Justice (MAD)

The Center is working on gathering urban planners, architects, social scientists, journalists to develop participatory urban planning and implementations that consider social, environmental and human rights.

Education
Informal Learning Youth Center (YAŞÖM)

Informal Education Youth Center, YAŞÖM, was founded by a group of young people mentored by Hülya Denizalp in 2011.

Social Justice
Accessible Film Festival

The festival has worked for equal access to the cultural life for everyone and touched thousands of lives of persons with disabilities.

Health
Belki de Sensin

Donate stem cell and save life!

Health
Youth Approaches to Health Association

Youth approaches for non-discriminative rights to health

Environment
Mediterranean Conservation Society

The guardians of Mediterranean

Civic Participation
Whole Surplus

A social entrepreneurship that aims to minimize food waste

Economic Development
Boğatepe Environment and Life Association

An exemplary model for rural development

Civic Participation
Midnight Library

A new model of library open to reader’s participation

Social Justice
Art Anywhere Association

Art is anywhere with children in Mardin...

Social Justice
Animal Rights Watch Committee

A more equal and peaceful world for all living creatures...

Education
Refreshment University

The first university of Turkey for students over 60 years old

Social Justice
Wheelchair Dance Project

A dance group of individuals with physical disabilities...

Education
E-Bursum

A scholarship system more fair and accessible for university students

Social Justice
Hands Speak

Rap music with sign language: Hands Speak

Environment
Yeşilist

Turkey’s first sustainable life network

Health
Otsimo

Quality education opportunity for children with autism

Environment
Şehrine Ses Ver

For more livable cities...

Education
Living Museum

Turkey's first applied open-air museum: Living Museum

Environment
Earth Association

Sustainable, ecological, joyful living

Social Justice
Askıda Ne Var

A platform for enriching students’ education lives

Social Justice
Guide Dogs Association of Turkey

According to Ministry of Family and Social Policies, there are 750 thousands of persons in Turkey with visual disabilities including persons with low vision. Lawyer Nurdeniz Tuncer...

Health
Robotel Turkey Association

Children reach their robohands with Robotel Turkey Association

Social Justice
DemGoodCoffee

DemGoodCoffee blends deaf and hearing-impaired culture with coffee culture

Civic Participation
Map of Needs

Map of Needs: Evoking the solidarity feeling in the society

Environment
Sustainable Living Film Festival

Sustainable Living Film Festival: A festival to create awareness for a better future...

Environment
Good4Trust

Trust to Goodness

Education
Ahmet Naç

An idealist teacher, who recreated his classroom

Health
Tics and Tourette Syndrome Volunteers of Turkey

A support mechanism for families, a common platform for sharing experiences

Social Justice
Art On The Street Association

Art for everyone

Education
ÇABA-ÇAM

ÇABA-ÇAM proposes an alterative model to social inequality in early childhood education

Social Justice
Co-Pedal Association

Co-Pedal Association provides physical and social rehabilitation for the disabled and creates companionship among persons with and without disabilities through using tandem bikes.

Health
Basri Köylü

Basri Köylü is a psychiatrist at Aksaray State Hospital. For a while now, he applies drama therapy to patients diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Education
Fatma Ayan

Turkey’s first open-air library has been opened with the efforts of Fatma Ayan, a teacher with 20 years of experience.

Economic Development
Basic Needs Association

Food Banking Association was established in 2010, under the leadership of entrepreneur Serhan Suzer, for the people who are unable to meet their basic needs.

Social Justice
Dervish Father Coffeehouse

The whole system of Dervish Father Coffeehouse is based on voluntary participation.

Civic Participation
Yuvarla Social Startup

Yuvarla.org initiative conducts projects in partnership with 15 different civil society organizations.

Education
SosyalBen Association

SosyalBen is a social responsibility association that helps children aged 7 to 13 and living in disadvantageous areas discover and improve their own social skills.

Civic Participation
Emre Dayıoğlu

Emre Dayıoğlu, aged 27, is a music teacher in Durmuş Yener Secondary School in Bayralar village of Elmalı, Antalya.

Education
Dilek Livaneli

Dilek Livaneli is a teaching profession since 13 years, the last 6 years of which were in Kumköy Primary School in Samsun.

Civic Participation
Ayfer Doğan

Denizli Foster Care Association Chairperson Ayfer Doğan works in the area of foster care since 17 years.

Social Justice
Süleyman Akbulut

Süleyman Akbulut played a significant role in the change of approach on disability from help-basis to rights-basis.

Social Justice
Duygu Kayaman

Duygu worked on the development of “My Dream Partner” application with the support of Turkcell that eases the access of visually impaired people to information.

Social Justice
Engelsizkariyer.com

Mehmet Kızıltaş, who is aware of the obstacles to disabled people’s participation in employment, created www.engelsizkariyer.com website in 2005.

Education
Şenol Yıldız

After completing the projects ‘I am Touching Science, Having Fun and Learning’ and ‘My School is turning to a Science Center’, Şenol Yıldız is now travelling from village to village for his third project called ‘Let Science Enlight the Schools’.

Civic Participation
Architecture for All Association

Architecture for All Association was established in 2011 for creating architectural and design solutions for socio-cultural problems in Turkey.

Economic Development
Nusratlı Village Association

Süheyla Doğan, a retired civil engineer, has moved to Ida Mountain with her family for a tranquil life after living in Antalya for many years. Thanks to her socially responsible character, she established “Nusratlı Village Culture Tourism and Solidarity Association” in 2005 with the support of villagers of Nusratlı.

Social Justice
LİSTAG

LİSTAG was established in January 2008 in İstanbul as a civil society organization by the families of LGBTI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) people.

Social Justice
SineMASAL

SineMASAL team, under the leadership of Enes Kaya, started their work by exploring 69 villages of Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia.

Education
Another School is Possible

Another School Is Possible

Environment
Seferihisar Cittaslow

Capital of Slowness: Seferihisar

Social Justice
Hülya Aydın

Life of A Determined Woman

Social Justice
Umut Koşan

A Man Who Follows His Dreams

Civic Participation
BuradaEngellendim.com

BuradaEngellendim.com Platform Fights Against The Architectural Barriers

Economic Development
Cansu Akarsu

"Happy Baby"

Economic Development
Karabiga Women's Cooperative

Visionary Women of Karabiga

Economic Development
Ödemiş Women's Cooperative

They Weave Their Future With Silk

Social Justice
Engin Yılmaz

Series And Movies Are Accessible For Everyone With The Audio Description

Civic Participation
İrfan Neziroğlu

Turkish Parliament Makes A Difference With “Stop Wasting” Project

Education
Selma Yıldız

"Small Codas" Are Not Alone

Civic Participation
Özlem Arman

Let's Be Happy For The Children In Hospital

Education
Ergin Erenuluğ

Two Eggs Are Enough To Go To The Cinema And To Fight Against Obesity

Health
Salih Yüce

Salih Yüce works to raise awareness on cancer by establishing the “Help and Love Association for Cancer Patients”.

Social Justice
Lütfiye Kelleci Birer

Story Of The Effort To Make Obstacles Invisible

Civic Participation
YouthBank

Youth Makes A Difference By Receiving Grants From YouthBank

Social Justice
Sami Altunel

A New Door From İzmir Into A Different World

Civic Participation
Çınardibi Cultural Center

A Cultural Center At The Heart Of A Quarter

Civic Participation
Rasim Uyan

Big Environmental Action In A Barber Shop

Education
Göktül Bakdık

The Children Of Imprisoned Women Saw The Light Beyond The Rain

Social Justice
Ömer Faruk Arınç

Disadvantaged Kids Are At Playhouse

Education
Hakan Habip

Here Are The Science Heroes!

Social Justice
Women Association of Muş

Early Marriage Is Not Their Destiny

Social Justice
Alev Zehir

"The Life" Is In The Hands Of The Youth Raised Under Legal Protection

Social Justice
Galata Dialogue Association

Be Ready To Forget What You Know In The Pitch Dark

Economic Development
Bedriye Hülya

B-Fit Sports Center Encourages Women to Become Entrepreneurs

Civic Participation
Disaster Relief Interpreters

Life-Saving Interpreters

Economic Development
Tire Milk Cooperative

Tire Milk Cooperative Makes a Difference in the Lives of People in Tire

Civic Participation
Gülçin Kaya

Don't Hide Under The Blanket

Environment
Play For Nature

"Play For Nature" Creates Nature Awareness Through Social Media

Civic Participation
GÖZDER

Persons with Disabilities Fighting Against Discrimination

Social Justice
Celal Karadoğan

Aiming to create a sense of community among youth with and without disabilities, and to raise public awareness around this topic...

Civic Participation
Young Voices of Erciş

Van and Erciş through the Eyes of the Youth

Education
Life In May Cooperative

Cooperation for a Better Education

Civic Participation
Mehmet Münir Cura

Athletes in Mardin are “running” to a better future

Economic Development
Meral Kekeçoğlu

‘Bee-like’ Entrepreneurs are On Their Way

Civic Participation
Ayşegül Güzel

A Bank Where the Currency is Time, Instead of Money: “Zumbara”

Economic Development
Enver Özkahraman

Persons with Disabilities Are Fighting Against Discrimination

Social Justice
Nurcan Baysal

A Success Story Written From West To East

Civic Participation
Melek Erman Köni

Melek Erman Köni Helps Rural Women Adapt to City Life in İstanbul

Education
Melahat Aydın

Galloping for Girls’ Education in the Eastern Province of Muş

Civic Participation
Ati Youth and Sports Club Association

Ati Youth and Sports Club Association Creates Hope for Future of Youth in Hakkari

Social Justice
Sulukule Children's School of Arts

Children in Sulukule Make their Voices Heard through Music

Education
Abbas Türnüklü

"Negotiator Students" Make a Difference Solving Problems

Environment
Hayrettin Karaca & Nihat Gökyiğit

Hayrettin Karaca and Nihat Gökyiğit Don't Let Turkey Become a Desert

Social Justice
Güney Hastemoğlu

Güney Hastemoğlu Fights to Prevent Juvenile Delinquency

Civic Participation
Özgür İnam

Özgür İnam Helps Children with Disabilities Sail for a Better Future

Education
Hüseyin Parlak

Hüseyin Parlak Offers Lifelong Learning Programs for Çamlıdere Community

Environment
Güven Eken

Güven Eken Takes 'Green' into Account in Turkey

Health
RUSİHAK

Human Rights in Mental Health Initiative Makes a Difference with its Community Based Approach in Mental Health Care

Education
Selçuk Var

Selçuk Var Motivates Teachers through Theater

Economic Development
Selma Demirelli

Selma Demirelli Empowers Women to Economic Independence

Social Justice
Nihat Kihtir

Nihat Kihtir Removes Barriers to Participation through Sign Language

Social Justice
Senem Gül

Senem Gül Encourages Women Participation in Social and Economic Life

Social Justice
Child Brides Project

Child Brides Project Fights Early Marriage Tradition in Turkey

Economic Development
Zeliha Serin

Zeliha Serin Contributes to Local Economy Utilizing Women Capital

Environment
Nurselen Toygar

This Week's Changemaker; Nurselen Toygar Mobilizes Turkey to Raise Awareness on Environment and Persons with Disabilities

Social Justice
Tarlabaşı Community Center

Tarlabaşı Community Center Fuels Hope amid Poverty

Civic Participation
Serhat Enyüce

Serhat Enyüce Gets Children off Streets onto Ice Hockey

Education
Mustafa Özarslan

Mustafa Özarslan Designs 'Super Classes' to Improve Quality in Education

Social Justice
Özlem Öztürk

Özlem Öztürk Raises Awareness on Landmines among Children

Economic Development
Cafer Yüksel

Cafer Yüksel Leads the Forest Villagers' Cooperative Movement in Turkey

Civic Participation
Selim Çavuş

Inspired by a think tank in the United States, Çavuş established the "Thought Association" in Istanbul in 2007.

Environment
Ali Mendillioğlu

Ali Mendillioğlu Advocates the Rights of Recycle Workers

Economic Development
Hüsamettin Koçan

Hüsamettin Koçan Created a Museum to Revitalize the Local Economy

Education
Ali Nesin

Ali Nesin Makes Math a Loveable Subject for Students who Deem It Nightmare

Economic Development
Şengül Akçar

Şengül Akçar Developed the First Women's Micro-Credit Program in Turkey

Education
Hacı Ormanoğlu

Hacı Ormanoğlu Empowers Children through After-School Programs

Social Justice
Tolga Öztorun

Tolga Öztorun Protects Street Animals

Social Justice
Bener Erkorur

Bener Erkorur Trains Athletes with Autism

Health
Kamil Çetin Oraler

Kamil Ç. Oraler is a microbiologist with Ph.D. and established Kadıköy Health and Education Center Foundation (KASEV) with other volunteers in 1986.

Education
Adnan Çelik

Adnan Çelik Promotes Youth Development in Diyarbakır

Education
Erhan Ağbaba

Erhan Ağbaba Helps Promote the Self-Esteem of Children

Civic Participation
Rodin Alper Bingöl

Rodin Alper Bingöl Raises Awareness about Disability

Social Justice
Şaban Tören

Şaban Tören Makes a Difference in Children's Lives with Art

Health
Arzu Kaykı

Arzu Kaykı Provides Support for People Living with HIV/AIDS

Education
Mine Narin

Mine Narin Makes a Difference in the Lives of Families and Children with Autism

Economic Development
Victor Ananias

Victor Ananias Works for a More Ecologically Balanced Turkey

Education
Mehmet Selim Baki

Mehmet Selim Baki Brings Music Education for Children in the Inner City

Economic Development
Berrin Yıldız & Murat Sarıkaya

Berrin Yıldız and Murat Sarıkaya Promote Cultural Tourism in Cappadocia

Civic Participation
Ahmet Besim Toker

Ahmet Besim Toker Helps Families with Members that Have Disabilities

Health
Ayhan Tokgöz

Ayhan Tokgöz Offers Health Services to Communities in Need

Civic Participation
Alper Kaya

Alper Kaya Strives to Raise Public Awareness about ALS and Help Patients

Education
Naşide Buluttekin

Naşide Buluttekin Contributes to Health of Mothers and Children

Economic Development
Tara Hopkins

Tara Hopkins Empowers Women While Protecting the Environment

Health
Türksel Dülgergil

Çoruh Türksel Dülgergil Keeps Kids Healthy Preventing Tooth Decay

Civic Participation
Ercan Tutal

Ercan Tutal Makes a Difference in the Lives of People with Disabilities

Health
Zeynep Şimşek

Zeynep Şimşek Improves Conditions of Migrant Farm Workers

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