The report, which focuses on the situation of individual giving and philanthropy in Turkey, revealed a positive picture of individual giving in Turkey compared to previous years.
According to TUSEV's research, in the past year 45 percent of people in Turkey has provided financial and informal aid, such as food, clothing, monetary aid, or fuel to relatives, neighbors or any other person in need. The vast majority of individuals do not prefer to make their donations through an organization.
Individual Donations and Participation in Activities are Increasing
According to the results of the report, which was first published in 2006 and is the only source monitoring the field of individual giving in Turkey, individual giving and philanthropy practices have gained a positive momentum compared to previous years. However, citizens in Turkey see helping the poor primarily as the duty of the state.
The vast majority of citizens do not give their aid to those in need through a relevant organization instead they do it themselves. But alongside the increase in the proportion of those who choose to make their donations through an organization, there is an increase in the participation of individuals in different types of civil society activities.
The vast majority of citizens do not give their aid to those in need through a relevant institution instead they do it themselves. But alongside the increase in the proportion of those who choose to make their donations through an organization, there is an increase in the participation of individuals in different types of civil society activities.
Previously, the rate of those who preferred to make their donations through an organization was 10-12 percent, this rate increased to 22 percent in 2021.
It is thought that the work of individuals and CSOs against the negative effects of COVID-19, the initiatives to eliminate the damage caused by the natural disasters, which occurred around the same time that the fieldwork for this report was carried out, and the aid and philanthropic activities carried out due to the forest fires in the summer months of 2021 may be effective in this increase.
The report was led by Professor Dr. Ali Çarkoğlu who is working at Koç University Civil Society and Philanthropy Research Center and Assoc. Dr. Selim Erdem Aytaç, and is based on the results of face-to-face interviews with a total of 1734 people in 143 districts of Turkey's 49 provinces, considering the last one-year period from October-November 2021.
