Growing Sustainable Business

GSB in Turkey

The GSB Turkey programme started in September 2006. 

The GSB Broker Gozde Avci is responsible for identifying pro-poor investment opportunities, developing innovative business models, brokering partnerships between key stakeholders, and marketing projects to both local and international investors. 

GSB in Turkey has focused on developing innovative business models which bring affordable services to the poor and low income populations, and on linking small-scale Turkish farmers to global markets through fair trade. Project selection is the result of a planned approach aimed at building new pro-poor sectors with systemic impact, rather than focusing on smaller-size one-off “deals”, which in a country of Turkey’s size would have had relatively low impact.

Active Projects

Make Trade Fair
Lead Company: Alter Eco
The main objective of the project is to allow grass roots economic development by linking small producers to new fair trade markets (no intermediary, fair price and quality products). Download project document. Download project brief

“Golden Bracelets”: Microfinance for Young Entrepreneurs
Lead Company: Turkish Economy Bank
A partnership will provide microfinance to young entrepreneurs aged 18-35 with solid business plans to start up their own enterprises. This will enable entrepreneurship in Turkey to grow and will create new employment opportunities. Download project brief

Inclusive Financial Services for the Youth
Lead Company: Yapi Kredi Bank
As the current supply of micro finance services in Turkey is very limited,  the main objective of this project is to promote microfinance services and youth entrepreneurship. Download project brief

Serving Rural and Urban Poor with Telemedicine Services
Lead Company: Turkcell, Intel
The overall aim of the project is to create a sustainable, commercially viable approach to improving access to quality health care, benefiting Turkey’s most vulnerable and isolated populations. Through telemedicine, the project will enable family doctors to hold consultations with specialists via Internet. The project will also enable patients to make appointments and receive their lab results via sms. Download project brief