Youth and Sports Minister Osman Aşkın Bak announced that the ministry will provide TL 70 million ($2.05 million) in project support for the Disaster-Affected Youth Empowerment Support Program.
In a statement from the ministry, Bak announced that applications for project proposals will be accepted starting Thursday for civil society organizations and sports clubs for youth affected by the earthquakes that occurred on Feb. 6 last year and impacted 11 provinces. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 14.
In his statement regarding the program, Bak said: “With the planned project support from our ministry, we aim to reduce the effects of the disaster and increase the participation of young people in social, community, cultural and sports fields. With this program, we aim to empower the youth living in the 11 provinces affected by the earthquake to cope with the effects of the disaster."
"We will support project proposals from NGOs and sports clubs within the themes identified as priority needs for young people in the region. We hope that the proposed projects will offer guiding and empowering experiences to the youth, helping them realize their potential and develop a strong sense of civic participation.”
Bak also shared on his X account: “We are implementing the Disaster-Affected Youth Empowerment Support Program in our 11 provinces affected by the earthquake. The program provides financial support for projects that will reduce the negative effects of the disaster by increasing the participation of our youth in social, cultural and sports fields. Applications for this program have started.”
The program budget is TL 70 million. Projects submitted to the ministry can have a duration of at least four and a maximum of 10 months.
The primary target group of the program is youth aged 14-29 living in the provinces directly affected by the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes of Feb. 6, 2023.
The program prioritizes disadvantaged youth, including those who are out of formal education, have disabilities, are from single-parent families, live in low-income households or face difficulties accessing basic services.
Applying organizations can submit a maximum of two project proposals, with projects coming from different provinces or within the same province.
According to the findings from ongoing efforts in the region, the program plans to focus on themes such as disaster preparedness, psycho-social support services, combating addiction, supporting social cohesion, promoting youth entrepreneurship and supporting innovation in the projects.
Projects implemented in the provinces affected by the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes of Feb. 6, 2023, including Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa, will be accepted, and applications are open to all civil society organizations and sports clubs across Türkiye.
Organizations with branches or representatives must submit project proposals through their central headquarters. Proposals from branches or representatives will not be accepted.
Applications will be received through the ministry’s Project Support System, projects scoring 50 points or above after preliminary and content evaluation will be finalized and announced by the evaluation commission.
