39 students awarded in Istanbul as part of Aydın Doğan Foundation project

“I love you very much. With God’s will, you will assume our country’s good posts and you will do good things for Turkey’s governance in politics, arts and in all fields,” said Doğan Holding Honarary President Aydın Doğan as he delivered a speech during the ceremony on May 16 at Doğan Holding’s building.

The students from Erzurum, Gümüşhane, Kahramanmaraş, Tekirdağ, Muş, Van, Konya and Ağrı are staying at ADV dorms opened as part of the “Dad, Send me to School” (BBOG) campaign and attended the event along with 12 of their teachers.

“For us, seeing you here is a great source of happiness. When we started the BBOG project, our aim was to make sure there was no single girl who cannot go to school in Turkey. Today, we are very close to this aim. But now we have bigger aims. What we want to do now is to make each one of you feel equal with boys, to make you have a profession and make you stand on your own feet... If you study and desire, we as the Aydın Doğan Foundation will support you to overcome all obstacles. Do not let anyone discourage you,” said Doğan Online Chairwoman Hanzade Doğan Boyner in a speech. 

The students, who were awarded with portable computers as well as gift cards and books as part of the project, were given a tour of Istanbul’s historic and cultural sites such as Sultanahmet Mosque, the Hippodrome, Topkapı Palace and Basilica Cistern. 

The BBOG project, which was initiated by the Doğan Group in 2005 and undertaken by the ADV in 2015, aims to create equal educational opportunities for young girls across Turkey. 

It has so far built 33 dormitories for girls, established schools in 12 villages and granted education scholarships to over 10,000 girls. 

By undertaking the construction of five dormitories and giving scholarships, the ADV has been the project’s largest donor.  

In its 10th year, the BBOG project has received donations from over 300,000 individuals totaling 35 million Turkish Liras.

In addition to Doğan and Doğan Boyner, the honorary chair’s wife, Sema Işıl Doğan; Doğan Holding CEO Soner Gedik; ADV Executive Council Chairwoman Candan Fetvacı; ADV Board of Directors member Ahmet Toksoy and several executives from Doğan Holding also attended the ceremony.