Since 1996, united by the principle “unity creates strength”—for volunteering, solidarity and the common good.
In 1990, when Mr. Kutlu Aktaş was appointed Governor of Izmir, his wife Tülay Aktaş began to take the lead in social responsibility projects. Through regular meetings with spouses of businesspeople, senior officials and heads of civil society organizations, she made a significant contribution to community work. These efforts strengthened communication among women while adding awareness, meaning and value to social responsibility projects.
After Tülay Aktaş passed away, volunteer women close to her came together to create the “Tülay Aktaş Volunteer Organizations Union (TAGKGB)” platform in Izmir, bringing together civil society organizations and different institutions around common benefit.
TAGKGB carries out work for different segments of society with a broad structure of associations, foundations and initiatives. It plays an active role in implementing programmes for young people, children, older people, people with disabilities and disadvantaged groups.
The platform acts on the principles of social justice, equality and inclusion, aiming to create equal opportunities for all members of society.
TAGKGB’s fundamental purpose is to raise social awareness and contribute through work based on volunteering.
The role of “Spokesperson”, which holds an important place in the platform’s structure, is sustained on a basis of volunteering and dedication. The first spokesperson, Neşe Can Hürtürk, carried out this role successfully for 15 years. Şener Anadol took over in 2011 and in December 2015 handed the role to Fatoş Dayıoğlu, who continues to serve as spokesperson today.
The Executive Board, established to make the platform’s activities more effective and sustainable, takes strategic decisions and supports the spokesperson in running the work.
Founded in 1996 as a women’s movement on the principle “unity creates strength”, TAGKGB has today evolved into an inclusive structure based on human rights and continues its community-focused work together with member civil society organizations.
Izmir’s social memory holds certain names whose work represents not only a period but a culture. Tülay Aktaş is one of those names.
After her husband Kutlu Aktaş was appointed Governor of Izmir in 1990, Tülay Aktaş came to the city and soon became a pioneer of a strong social movement in Izmir based on volunteering and solidarity. Believing that women could take an active role in every area of public life, she brought women from different backgrounds together and built a “women’s power” focused on producing benefit rather than visibility.
From education to child welfare, from disadvantaged groups to families in need, she led work across a wide field and helped build a strong volunteering network in Izmir. The constructive bridge she built between civil society and the public sector helped volunteering movements become more effective and sustainable.
Guided by the belief that “real change begins with willing hands”, Tülay Aktaş played an important role especially in girls’ education and projects for children in need of protection. Projects such as “Haydi Kızlar Okula”, “Barbaros Children’s Village” and “Support for National Education” are concrete examples of this approach.
Tülay Aktaş, whom we lost in 1996, left behind a strong culture of solidarity and lasting social impact. TAGKGB, founded to keep her memory alive, continues its work today in line with the same values.
In Izmir, Tülay Aktaş is remembered as “Mother of Izmir”; she remains an inspiring name in volunteering, solidarity and social responsibility.
Her light still lives on in volunteering projects, solidarity efforts and the journeys of a new generation of women leaders—because her strongest legacy is the value of creating together and touching others’ lives.
To strengthen solidarity among civil society organizations—with Izmir as a priority—to spread a culture of volunteering and cooperation, and to carry out joint work that increases social benefit through an inclusive, equality-based and rights-based approach.
To be a model for Turkey: a platform that grows social benefit through innovative and sustainable work based on volunteering, solidarity and cooperation, and inspires civil society.
TAGKGB aims to strengthen solidarity, cooperation and a culture of joint action among civil society organizations—primarily those active in Izmir—and thereby increase social benefit. In this framework;
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