CREATING ACCESS AND BUILDING A PATHWAY FORWARD
CHALLENGE
Today, 10.9% of all households in Türkiye consist of single parents with children, and the vast majority of these households are led by women. Single mothers face disproportionate economic vulnerability. Many step away from the workforce due to caregiving responsibilities, lack of affordable childcare, or limited social support. For women with little or no income, this vulnerability is often compounded by unpaid alimony, regional disparities, and limited access to professional networks, particularly outside major urban centers.
Yet support systems often address these challenges in isolation: employment separate from emotional wellbeing, parenting separate from financial stability. In reality, these issues are deeply interconnected.
More importantly, investing in single mothers creates multi-generational impact : strengthening women’s economic stability while improving children’s educational, emotional, and long-term outcomes.
SOLUTION
To respond to this gap, Turkish Philanthropy Funds established the TPF Single Mothers Fund — a dedicated fund designed to support integrated, community-based initiatives in partnership with trusted local organizations across Türkiye. The Fund supports carefully selected NGO partners that deliver coordinated support in economic empowerment, psychosocial wellbeing, and parenting resilience.
In its inaugural year, the TPF Single Mothers Fund is supporting a 10-week online learning and community-building initiative implemented in collaboration with five partner organizations: Bekar Anneler Derneği, Kadın Girişimciler Derneği (KAGİDER), Mavi Kalem Derneği, Anne Çocuk Eğitim Vakfı (AÇEV), and YenidenBiz Derneği.
As a philanthropic vehicle at TPF, the Fund is designed to grow over time, expanding partnerships, deepening impact, and mobilizing donors who believe that strengthening single mothers strengthens entire communities.
WHAT WE DO
Together, we provide coordinated support across four pillars.
Build Economic Confidence & Pathways to Employment
Participants receive financial literacy training, digital skills development, employment readiness coaching, and access to entrepreneurship and career pathways.
Strengthen Emotional Wellbeing & Resilience
Trauma-informed, peer-supported sessions focus on emotional health, rebuilding confidence, and navigating stigma and isolation.
Support Parenting & Family Empowerment
Evidence-based parenting and child development guidance helps mothers balance personal growth with caregiving responsibilities.
Foster Strong Community Networks
Participants join peer circles and alumni networks that continue beyond the program, creating long-term solidarity and support systems.
Single Mothers Fund is not a one-time intervention. It is a structured pathway designed to support single mothers in building sustainable independence with the tools, networks, and confidence to move forward.
