Turkish Women's Initiative

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Turkish Women's Initiative The Turkish Women’s Initiative (TWI) provides innovative, practical and sustainable leadership programs for young women.

At TWI, we believe the world is better when women lead! The percentage of Turkish women who work outside their homes is one of the lowest in the world. Cultural norms often discourage girls and young women from pursuing education and employment. TWI’s unique “Sparks” programs support young women who have overcome significant challenges to attend public universities – typically the first in their families to enroll in higher education. Acclaimed TWI Sparks programs go beyond academics to engage participants in solving local, tangible social change projects. The women thereby “learn by doing” and go on to change their own lives and the lives others as they advance in career and leadership positions in their work, community, and country.

What happens when a young woman is given the space to discover her own way of leading?Confidence grows. Ideas become act...
10/16/2026

What happens when a young woman is given the space to discover her own way of leading?

Confidence grows. Ideas become action. And leadership becomes something she can carry into her community, her work, and her future.

As Sparks alumna Işık Karlı puts it: “Leadership was never about being the loudest voice in the room. It was about taking responsibility, empowering others, and stepping up to create change.”

That’s the spark we want to keep growing.

Through TWI’s Year-End Giving Campaign, in partnership with Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF), Ergün and Juliana Kırlıkovalı will match every donation dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000. Your contribution supports DLD’s Sparks Program and helps create more opportunities for young women across Türkiye to discover their potential, develop leadership and collaboration skills, and turn their ideas into real-world impact.

👉 Double the spark. Double your impact. Donate through the link in our bio.

Behind every number is a young woman discovering what she is capable of.Since 2009, the Sparks Program has created space...
10/16/2026

Behind every number is a young woman discovering what she is capable of.

Since 2009, the Sparks Program has created spaces where young women can learn leadership not just by talking about it—but by doing it: working together, taking responsibility, developing ideas, and turning those ideas into projects that create change.

So far, more than 1,000 young women from 65 universities have participated and developed 127 social impact projects. And the demand continues to grow: 550 young women applied for the 2025–26 program year, with 112 welcomed into the Sparks community.

In partnership with Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF), TWI’s Year-End Giving Campaign is supported by a matching fund of up to $10,000 from Ergün and Juliana Kırlıkovalı. Every dollar donated will be matched dollar-for-dollar, giving your contribution the opportunity to create twice the impact and help expand leadership opportunities for young women across Türkiye.

👉 Help create the next opportunity. Donate through the link in our bio.

One gift. Twice the potential.A $25 contribution unlocks another $25. A $50 contribution becomes $100. A $100 contributi...
10/16/2026

One gift. Twice the potential.

A $25 contribution unlocks another $25. A $50 contribution becomes $100. A $100 contribution becomes $200.

That’s the power of a matching gift—and an opportunity to make the support you were already considering go further.

In partnership with Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF), TWI’s Year-End Giving Campaign is supported by a matching fund of up to $10,000, generously provided by Ergün and Juliana Kırlıkovalı. Every dollar donated will be matched dollar-for-dollar to support DLD’s Sparks Program, creating more opportunities for young women across Türkiye to build confidence, strengthen their leadership and collaboration skills, take responsibility, and turn ideas into real social impact projects.

👉 Make your gift go twice as far. Donate through the link in our bio.

What if your year-end gift could go twice as far?This giving season, one contribution has the opportunity to create doub...
10/16/2026

What if your year-end gift could go twice as far?

This giving season, one contribution has the opportunity to create double the impact—helping more young women across Türkiye discover their potential, strengthen their confidence, and develop leadership through doing.

Here’s how it works: In partnership with Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF), TWI is launching its Year-End Giving Campaign with a matching fund generously provided by Ergün and Juliana Kırlıkovalı. Every dollar donated will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000. That means $25 becomes $50, $50 becomes $100, and $100 becomes $200 in support of DLD’s Sparks Program and the next generation of young women leaders in Türkiye.

👉 Double your impact today. Donate through the link in our bio.

🚀 Leadership. STEM. Opportunity.We’re excited to launch LeaderSHEp in STEM, a new collaboration between DLD and Ford Oto...
07/06/2026

🚀 Leadership. STEM. Opportunity.

We’re excited to launch LeaderSHEp in STEM, a new collaboration between DLD and Ford Otosan, supported by Ford Philanthropy and Global Giving. Değişim Liderleri Derneği Ford Otosan Ford Philanthropy

Over the next eight months, 24 university students studying STEM in Eskişehir will embark on a leadership journey designed to strengthen their confidence, communication, career readiness, and leadership skills, preparing them to thrive in the workplaces of tomorrow.

At DLD, we believe empowering young women in STEM means investing not only in technical knowledge, but also in the leadership skills needed to shape the future.

We’re excited to follow this journey and celebrate the impact these young leaders will create. 🌱

🔗 To learn more about our work and stay updated, visit our website through the link in our bio.

✨ Türkiye’deki kardeş derneğimiz Değişim Liderleri Derneği’nin (DLD) 17. Değişim Liderleri Zirvesi’nde buluşuyoruz!Bir y...
06/04/2026

✨ Türkiye’deki kardeş derneğimiz Değişim Liderleri Derneği’nin (DLD) 17. Değişim Liderleri Zirvesi’nde buluşuyoruz!

Bir yıl boyunca öğrenen, üreten, dayanışan ve değişim yaratan Kıvılcımların yolculuğunu kutlamak için bir araya geliyoruz.

Bu yıl zirvenin teması: Emek.

Çünkü değişim; görünmeyen çabaların, birlikte üretmenin, dayanışmanın ve vazgeçmemenin emeğiyle mümkün oluyor.

Kıvılcımlar, mezunlar, kolaylaştırıcılar, destekçiler ve uzman konukların katılımıyla gerçekleşecek bu özel buluşmada; liderlik, sosyal değişim ve emeğin dönüştürücü gücü üzerine birlikte düşünecek, paylaşacak ve ilham alacağız.

📅 7 Haziran Pazar
🕖 19:00
📺 YouTube Canlı Yayın Linki: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svkl6Sad5QE

Türkiye’deki DLD topluluğuna harika bir zirve diliyoruz! 💛

Gazeteci Elif Zorlu Tapan’ın TWI kurucu ortaklarından Sema Basol ile gerçekleştirdiği röportaj MAG Dergisi’nde yayımland...
05/07/2026

Gazeteci Elif Zorlu Tapan’ın TWI kurucu ortaklarından Sema Basol ile gerçekleştirdiği röportaj MAG Dergisi’nde yayımlandı. Röportaj; yalnızca bir liderlik hikayesini değil, Türkiye’den Amerika’ya uzanan, kadınların birbirini güçlendirdiği kolektif bir yolculuğu anlatıyor.

2009 yılında başlayan Sparks yolculuğu bugün; genç kadınların kendi seslerini keşfetmelerine, liderlik becerileri geliştirmelerine, sosyal etki projeleri üretmelerine ve birbirlerine ilham veren güçlü bir topluluk oluşturmalarına alan açmaya devam ediyor.

TWI ve DLD olarak, bu yolculuğun bireysel başarıdan çok birlikte büyüyen bir etki olduğuna inanıyoruz. Gönüllülerimizin, mezunlarımızın, destekçilerimizin ve yıllardır bu misyona emek veren herkesin katkısı bu hikâyenin ayrılmaz bir parçası. 🧡

Sema Başol’un röportajda da paylaştığı gibi, bu yolculuk boyunca pek çok değerli insanın desteği ve inancı bize güç verdi. Kuruluş dönemimizden bu yana yanımızda olan Jale Ergelen ve Prof. Dr. Nakiye Boyacıgiller’e; bugün ise TWI ve DLD yönetim kurulu üyelerimiz Nalan Yalçın, Ayça Altıntığ ve Nurcan Ensari’ye bu ortak vizyonu birlikte büyüttükleri için teşekkür ederiz.

Röportajın tamamını linkte bulabilirsiniz.

https://magdergi.com/yazarlar/elif-zorlu-tapan-genc-kadinlarin-icindeki-liderlik-kivilcimini-atesleyen-isim-sema-basol/

ve Nurcan Karamolla Ensari

AI is being built. The real question is: who is shaping it?👉 Join us for a live conversation with Ece Kamar, CVP at Micr...
04/04/2026

AI is being built. The real question is: who is shaping it?

👉 Join us for a live conversation with Ece Kamar, CVP at Microsoft on human-centered AI and women-centered leadership.

This is not just another webinar.
It’s a perspective shift you don’t want to miss.

🎤 Hosted by TWI & TALL
📆 April 19, 9 AM PST

🎟 Register via QR code
🔗 Link in bio

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