About KEDV 

Founded in 1986, Foundation for the Support of Women's Work (KEDV) works across Turkey to strengthen women’s leadership, economic participation, and community resilience. Known widely as KEDV, the organization supports grassroots women in building more equal, inclusive, and sustainable communities through cooperative development, local leadership initiatives, and social support programs. 

Built on participatory leadership and community-based development, KEDV believes in the expertise and leadership of low-income women in addressing poverty and inequality. The organization works alongside women and their communities to develop locally driven solutions through training, enterprise development, childcare and Women and Children Centers, cooperative networks, and economic empowerment initiatives. Each year, KEDV reaches approximately 20,000 women across Turkey through its programs and partnerships. 

A major focus of KEDV’s work is strengthening women’s cooperatives and local organizing. Since its founding, the organization has helped establish dozens of women’s cooperatives and community centers, creating sustainable economic opportunities and expanding women’s participation in social, economic, and political decision-making. KEDV also works closely with municipalities, universities, NGOs, and private sector partners to scale women-led development initiatives nationwide. 

Since joining Women’s Learning Partnership in 2002, KEDV has integrated WLP leadership methodologies into its training programs and expanded its regional initiatives, including projects supporting Syrian refugee women in Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon. Working primarily in Turkish, the organization also provides translation and accessibility support for refugee participants and multilingual communities. 

In recent years, KEDV has expanded its focus on disaster response, recovery, and migration support following the devastating 2023 earthquakes in Turkey. Through women-led recovery initiatives, the organization continues to ensure that women, children, and refugee communities remain central actors in rebuilding efforts while advancing long-term social resilience, equality, and inclusive local development.

Key Accomplishments

• Expanded women’s cooperative movement nationwide, supporting over 600 cooperatives in livelihoods, disaster readiness, and enterprise development.
• Delivered post-earthquake rapid response in 2023, assessing needs across 800+ stakeholders and supporting 78 women’s cooperatives in recovery efforts.
• Established 9 Women and Children Centers and 3 Women Solidarity Centers after earthquakes, reaching hundreds of women and children with services and psychosocial support.
• Provided leadership and economic literacy training to more than 2,500 women using WLP methodologies in disaster-affected regions.
• Mobilized over 5,000 signatures through the “Listen to Women’s Voices” campaign to prioritize women and children in disaster recovery.
• Supported Syrian refugee women in developing climate resilience plans and digital tools for environmental risk response.
• Contributed to global disaster preparedness frameworks, including women-centered recovery models adopted internationally

Organizational Programs and Activities

• Women’s Cooperatives and Economic Leadership: Builds and supports women’s cooperatives that operate in agriculture, childcare, handicrafts, and services. These cooperatives provide income generation, leadership development, and collective decision-making opportunities, while strengthening women’s access to markets and financial tools. 
• Community Centers for Women and Children: Operates Women and Children Centers that provide childcare, education support, psychosocial services, and legal guidance. These centers also function as hubs for local organizing and women’s leadership development. 
• Disaster Preparedness and Climate Resilience: Following major disasters, KEDV supports women-led recovery by facilitating needs assessments, rebuilding community kitchens, and training women in disaster risk reduction. Its programs emphasize women’s leadership in emergency planning and long-term resilience. 
• Training and Capacity Building: Delivers leadership, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy trainings using WLP curricula. These programs support women in building sustainable livelihoods and participating in local governance and cooperative management.