Working Together to Eradicate Poverty

At TGMP, we believe that the greatest way to address the complicated issues of poverty and inequality is to collaborate with other institutions that share our beliefs and values.

Turkish Grameen Microfinance Program is dedicated to empowering, courteous, and mutually learning and growing operational partnerships. We know that collaboration multiplies our influence, and that the most effective way to eradicate poverty and inequality is to form strategic and influential collaborations with a variety of partners from government, civil society, NGOs, and beyond.

We trust that by pooling resources and knowledge, we can deliver better and more meaningful impacts than we could on our own.

CARE International

Founded in 1945, CARE International is a leading Humanitarian Organization fighting poverty and social injustice in the world, with a specific focus on the empowerment of women and girls. In 2021, CARE worked in over 100 countries, reaching 100 million people through nearly 1,500 projects.  CARE first began work in Türkiye in 1960s, and later re-established operations in 2013 to assist with the influx of Syrian refugees. CARE Türkiye began assessing needs and coordinating with Turkish authorities actively working on the ground and other organizations to support refugees with food, safe drinking water, and hygiene items. Between 2014 and 2021, CARE Türkiye supported more than 631,500 (update is needed) individuals from refugees and host communities through implementing several projects that respond to basic needs, protection, and economic empowerment and Livelihoods in five provinces: Gaziantep, Kilis, Hatay, Şanlıurfa, and Adana.

The collaboration between CARE Türkiye and TGMP which is replicating Grameen Model in Türkiye with Grameen Bank, Nobel Peace Laureate in 2006 started in February 2019. The scope of our collaboration involves the execution of microcredit activities to strengthen both refugees and host communities in Şanliurfa, Gaziantep, Kilis, and Adana. In addition, the project aims to promote social cohesion between refugees and host communities by bringing together women participants from both communities in group meetings. Project locations were selected based on the concentration of the refugee population. Within the scope of the project as of December 31st, 2021, a total of 7,432 micro-entrepreneurs have been reached, of which 4,429 were Syrian and 3,003 were Turkish. The total microcredit disbursement of the project as of December 31st, 2021 is TRY 14,273,100.

Alman Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation

Deutsche Sparkassenstiftung für internationale Kooperation e.V.The Deutsche Sparkassenstiftung für internationale Kooperation e.V. (DSIK) is the development arm of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe. Its task is to disseminate the Sparkasse model across regional borders and around the globe, by enabling people in developing countries and emerging economies to access financial services. It aims to create opportunities that will allow them to overcome poverty. DSIK is actively supporting financial institutions, promoting a sustainable economic and social development in more than 50 countries, by enabling its partner institutions to offer banking services that are tailored to the needs of the target groups.

The collaboration agreement between TGMP and DSIK, started in 2019, is based on the mutual goal to improve the economic opportunities of financially challenged individuals, namely forcible displaced persons and their host communities in Ankara, Bursa, Gaziantep, and Konya, through adequate financial services and technical assistance based on financial and business literacy trainings. Within the scope of the project, as of December 31st, 2021, a total of 2,311 micro-entrepreneurs has been reached, of which 1,603 were Syrian and 708 were Turkish. The total microcredit disbursement of the project as of December 31st, 2021 is TRY 4,988,300.

DSIK provides a tailored financial Literacy training program and Micro-business Game Training for micro-entrepreneurs. This training is designed to educate and help micro-entrepreneurs to support and sustain their businesses. It qualifies as a combination of skills, attitudes and behaviors required by micro-entrepreneurs to make the right financial decisions and improve financial well-being.

Kiva

Kiva is a non-profit organization, headquartered in San Francisco, California, that allows people to lend money using a crowd-funding model via the Internet to low-income entrepreneurs in more than 80 countries. Kiva relies on a network of field partners to administer the loans on the ground. These field partners can be microfinance institutions, social impact businesses, schools or non-profit organizations. Kiva is supported by grants, loans, and donations from its users, corporations, and national institutions.

The cooperation protocol between TGMP and Kiva was signed on March 2021. Kiva Investment Committee provided TGMP with a credit line to disburse microcredit to refugees and host communities who are unable to access financial resources. Within the frame of the project, microcredit can be disbursed to everyone in Türkiye, regardless of origin discrimination, and without any province or branch restrictions. Within the scope of the project, as of December 31st, 2021, a total of 494 micro-entrepreneurs has been reached, of which 28 were Syrian and 466 were Turkish. The total microcredit disbursement of the project as of December 31st, 2021 is TRY 2,584,600.