Foundation: The Organized Form of Benevolence

Have you ever shared a toy or a book you love with a friend? Sharing is a wonderful act that brings happiness to people. A foundation is an even greater and more lasting expression of this spirit of sharing and helping others. Let’s explore this wonderful way of doing good together!

What Is a Foundation and How Does It Work?

A foundation is an institution established when one or more well-intentioned individuals dedicate their assets—such as money, buildings, or land—to a specific purpose, such as helping people, animals, or nature. This act is called “endowing,” and the person who establishes the foundation is known as a “vâkıf.”

Once a foundation is established, the assets donated to it no longer belong to the founder’s family. These assets are used exclusively to serve the foundation’s stated purpose, and this continues indefinitely. Just as books in a library remain available for everyone to read, a foundation’s assets are dedicated to the benefit of society.

Time Travel

The tradition of foundations holds a deep and ancient place in our culture. Hundreds of years ago, during the Seljuk and Ottoman periods, our ancestors established countless foundations to support the development of cities and meet the needs of the people. At that time, hospitals for treating patients (darüşşifas), schools for students (medreses), and kitchens providing free meals to the poor (imarethanes) were all built through foundations.

And it did not stop there! Fountains built to provide clean drinking water, caravanserais erected along trade routes, and even bridges were all constructed by foundations. Thanks to these, every resident of a city could benefit from these services free of charge. Foundations were, in essence, the heart of a city.

What Do They Do?

Foundations serve a wide variety of purposes. Their fundamental goal is to extend a helping hand to those in need within society. Some foundations open schools to ensure that orphaned children can receive an education. Others establish hospitals to treat patients. Still others focus on feeding and caring for stray animals.

Throughout history, there have been foundations established with such unusual purposes that you might be surprised! For example, there were foundations created to treat storks with broken wings during migration, and others dedicated to collecting broken glass from the ground so no one would step on it. This shows us just how vast the scope of goodness can be. Today, many modern foundations continue their work in education, the environment, health, and culture.