Turkey’s Changemakers: Social startup Yuvarla increases individual donations

Yuvarla (Round Up) has been named the seventh Changemaker of the 7th season of the Sabanci Foundation Turkey’s Changemakers Program. 

Through Yuvarla, a small change when you shop online, which may not mean much to you, is transferred directly to civil society organizations a donation. There are two civil society volunteers behind this system: Emre Danaci and Erdi Yerebasmaz. 

The Yuvarla initiative, for now only used in online purchases, operates in the following manner: First, you enter a shopping website and choose a product you would like to buy. Before you complete the transaction, you can round up the total amount, with the difference being directly transferred to civil society organizations.

Yuvarla conducts projects in partnership with 15 different civil society organizations. To date more than 300,000 people have raised around 2 million Turkish Liras for these associations. 

Yuvarla emerged from the efforts of two civil society volunteers to find a solution to the economic needs of civil society organizations in Turkey. It has promoted the culture of donation by individuals and provided support to a number of associations working on social and environmental issues. It has made a huge difference both in the field of civil society and in the lives of many people who have never made a donation before.