Our Story

Our Story

In February 2015 my daughter and I have already written down the perspective of our organization, our initiatives and the rules and regulations we aspire to put into practice. We had a clear vision but could not find the right words to give a name to it.

Then in September when the school year was just about to begin, I made a phone call with Dr. Burhan Tekin whom I knew back from his Medical School days. After his graduation he moved back to his hometown Batman in the southeastern part of Turkey.

I told him that I wanted to send some stationary supplies for the first-grade students whose families struggle with the costs of sending their children to school. Burhan called me back soon and gave the name of a nearby elementary school with 200 first graders, most of them in need. I made a couple of calls to my close friends and within a short while we raised a good sum of money, much more than the amount needed for the stationary supplies.

While we were busy packing the supplies for shipment to Batman, a schoolteacher from a village of Siverek asked for stationery for 40 more children. Then came Soma, they were also asking if we could help for stationaries… another 200 children. And anytime a need arises I somehow managed to reply… I was blessed to be surrounded by like-minded, generous, sensitive people who would give a helping hand when needed. I realized that it was time to start the association of which my daughter and I had a vision months before.

But we still couldn’t find a name for it! A friend of mine who was active on social media made a call for name suggestions, hundreds of them came in only one day. Among many suggestions “Bütün Çocuklar Bizim’ ( All Children are Ours ) was warmly embraced and adopted rapidly… There it was! I don’t know who originally suggested the name, but it reflects us perfectly and we are all very happy with it.

Once we had the name ready 6 friends and I applied for the registration of our association and officially on December 1, 2015, Bütün Çocuklar Bizim Derneği (BÇBD) took start.

From the time we started by providing stationary supplies for a Batman elementary school to this day we have expanded our projects to almost every corner of Turkey with collaborations, volunteers, members, employees, individual and institutional supporters.

As BÇBD it is our wish and commitment to contribute positively to the lives of our children for many more years.

Leyla Tekbulut

 

Founding Members

Leyla Tekbulut

She graduated from İstanbul Erkek Lisesi (High School) and Boğaziçi University Electrical Engineering Department.
In her professional career first, she worked as an engineer and eventually started her own company. From her high school years on she has always been actively engaged in various civil organizations both in membership and executive roles. She is one the founding members of 1884 Vakfı (1884 Foundation) and INSEV Vakfı (Foundation for Human Health and Education). Starting from December 1, 2015, she is the president and executive director of the BÇBD (All Children are Ours Association).

Ayşe Kartal

She graduated from St. Georg Austrian Gymnasium and Commerce School and Frankfurt Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Economics Department. She is currently working in property development and marketing.

Berna Betül Öztürk

She graduated from Middle East Technical University, Department of International Relations and is currently working as the vice President of Ulusal Factoring Company.

Kübra Yeliz Eroğuz

She graduated from Marmara University, Law School and is currently working as a lawyer, counselor, and negotiator.

Nesrin Balkan

She graduated from Istanbul University, Economics Department and worked in publishing, communications, and public relations. She had been the public communications director at Sabancı University and has recently retired.

Nuket Terzioğlu

She graduated from Boğaziçi University, Economics Department. After working in finance and banking for many years, she retired in 2019.

Selvi Özkardeşler

She graduated from Istanbul University, History and Geography Department. In 2004 she retired from her position as a lecturer. She is one of the founding members of the INSEV Vakfı (Foundation for Human Health & Education) and The Lung Diseases Association.