The Sparks Program has kicked off its 10th year of leadership skills training for university women in Turkey, expanding now to four cities. With growing awareness and need for such programs, keep reading to find out how you can help more young women increase their confidence and take charge of their futures. Some challenges university-bound...

In competition for a social responsibility project award from the Credit Bureau Financial Institution, Hanife Yalciner’s project came in second place in the health and sports category. The competition is open to all university students in Turkey. Its purpose is to encourage young people to build awareness of social issues and take action. Hanife’s entry...

Zehra Morcimen, a 2018 graduate of Ege University, was a key member of a three-student team that won second prize from the prestigious Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey. Their project was an “Active Shading Device for Driving Safety.” The project’s objective was to prevent avoidable accidents caused by sun glare that often affects...

Beginning the Sparks 2018-19 academic year in Turkey, one student will be selected to receive the “Jeanne Nidorf Compassion and Social Change Award.” This award, in honor of Jeanne, acknowledges and rewards Sparks students who have demonstrated – by their thoughts, words, and deeds – the highest principles of the Sparks program. Dr. Jeanne Nidorf...

– showing once again how young women can bring change to their own lives and communities Thanks to TWI’s signature Sparks Program in Turkey, children now have a storybook that challenges traditional gender roles, and the visually impaired have braille menus in Izmir area cafes. These were just two of the social change projects presented...

The third showing of TWI’s “Stories of Courage” took place in April in Southern California, with actors Lisa Cirincione and Tiffany Mualem once again aptly portraying the will and bravery of young Sparks women who carry on despite hardships. Classical flutist Burak Besir and guitarist Dimitris Mahlis enhanced the experience with beautiful music from Anatolia....

“Stories of Courage,” the dramatic reading profiling the lives of Sparks alumni, took center stage at TWI’s Northern California fundraiser in January. At several points in the presentation, “there wasn’t a dry eye in the house” as actors Lisa Cirincione and Tiffany Mualem aptly portrayed the will and bravery of young Sparks women who carry...

This year marks the 10th anniversary of TWI. It was in 2008 that Sema Basol took the first steps in achieving her dream of making a positive difference for young women in Turkey. Together with co-founder Dr. Jeanne Nidorf, they developed and launched the unique Sparks Program for university women of modest means. Women make...