Hüsnü Özyeğin Foundation

Established in 1990, the Hüsnü Özyeğin Foundation is a private philanthropic organization committed to fostering social and economic progress in Turkey. The Foundation pursues this mission through strategic initiatives focused on education, health, and culture. Initially, the Foundation’s primary activity was providing scholarships to academically gifted students with demonstrated financial need; to date, over 13,000 students have benefited from these scholarships. With a total of 65 philanthropic investments, the Foundation’s enduring commitment is evident through the construction of educational institutions, including schools and girls’ secondary school dormitories, health facilities such as rehabilitation centers, and support for the preservation of cultural heritage through restoration projects. To date, the Foundation has donated 23 girls’ dormitories, 1 university dormitory, 21 primary schools, 9 high schools, and 4 rehabilitation centers. Annually, approximately 25,000 students benefit from these schools and dormitories. 

In the realm of cultural heritage, the Foundation has contributed to the restoration of the Galata Mevlevi Lodge Museum, the preparation of building projects for the Istanbul University State Conservatory, and the DİTAV Cultural House Project of the Diyarbakır Promotion, Culture and Solidarity Foundation.

The Hüsnü Özyeğin Foundation remains committed to the development of nearly 4,000 young women through a specialized life skills education program, scholarship provisions, and various initiatives tailored for young women residing in its dormitories.

Addressing poverty with a focus on rural communities, the Foundation has implemented an integrated rural development program in 14 villages and 5 hamlets within the Bitlis and Kilis provinces, impacting 4,000 individuals.

The Hüsnü Özyeğin Foundation’s dedication to education culminated in the establishment of Özyeğin University in 2008.

The social investments of the Özyeğin Family, including those of the Hüsnü Özyeğin Foundation, were published as a case study at Harvard Business School in 2023 under the title “Ӧzyeğin Social Investments: A Legacy of Giving”