Support to Fight Against Pompe Disease from Uğur and Nurten Tatlıcı

The deceased businessman Salih Tatlıcı’s wife Nurten Tatlıcı and their son Uğur Tatlıcı have
added a new one to the organizations they support and donated to the International Pompe
Association – IPA, which fights against Pompe Disease, one of the rarest diseases in the
world.

Together We Are Strong

Regarding the donation, “My father, Salih Tatlıcı, who is known for his philanthropic
personality, used to say, ‘It always gives me peace of mind to help those in need.’ He always
encouraged my mother and me to help those in need with his giving heart. With this
sublime feeling that our beloved father instilled in us, my mother and I have taken it as our
duty to support people and their families struggling with Pompe disease, which is little
known in our country and the world but can be devastating and deadly. We will continue to
support.” Uğur Tatlıcı said.

International Pompe Association–IPA

IPA is an international organization based in the Netherlands fighting Pompe disease
worldwide. IPA also functions as an international federation that gathers associations and
institutions from different countries under one roof to help Pompe patients and their families.

Pompe Disease: Pompe disease is an inherited disease that is rarely seen in the world at a rate
of 1 in 40 thousand. Pompe disease, which has a low awareness in the world as well as in our
country, is a fast progressing, wearing, and often fatal muscle disease and occurs as a result of
the deficiency or absence of the enzyme called acid alpha glycosidase (GAA). The excessive
accumulation of glycogen in the cell, which occurs due to the lack of this enzyme, causes the
disease by spreading to the healthy muscle tissue.

Consanguineous Marriage is an Important Factor: Consanguineous marriages are an
essential factor in Pompe disease, which is a genetic disease. It is also suggested that Pompe
disease, which has a low awareness rate in our country even among physicians, may be more
common than is known due to the high incidence of consanguineous marriages in our country.
For this reason, a national database search has been started in our country for Pompe disease.
The donations and aid projects mentioned here were made with the personal income of the founders of our Foundation, Nurten Tatlıcı and her son Uğur Tatlıcı, in memory of the late Salih Tatlıcı, the benevolent person whose name continues to live on through our Foundation and whom they bid farewell in journey to eternity in 2009.

Scholarship Grant from Nurten and Uğur Tatlıcı to the Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled (BEDD)

Nurten Tatlıcı, the wife of deceased businessman Salih Tatlıcı, and their son Uğur Tatlıcı
provided scholarships to the Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled (BEDD),
which is known for its successful activities for more than 20 years in Turkey, especially by
removing the obstacles that our citizens with orthopedical disabilities face and facilitating
their more active participation in social life.

We Are Proud of Our Children’s Success

“My late father used to say ‘respect for people with disabilities is respect for humanity.’
There are no barriers for us to share life. We are very happy with the success of our
children with disabilities, who received a scholarship grant, and the school-age children of
families having a member with disabilities. We were proud of our students because our
elementary and middle school students, for whom we provided scholarship grants, received
their report cards with an “A+” degree, and one of our students received a certificate of
merit. In our country and in the world, people with disabilities and their children have
equal rights like other individuals in matters that have an important place in social life,
such as education, health, and cultural activities. We believe that the activities and
initiatives held to draw attention to the problems of people with disabilities and their
children are of great importance in terms of social awareness. Together with my mother, we
will always continue to support every step to be taken on this path.” said Uğur Tatlıcı,
regarding the donation.

The Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled (BEDD) with its History of Nearly
30 Years

BEDD was established on July 20, 1993 as a mutual aid association to provide social
solidarity by contributing to the education and health needs of all citizens of the Republic of
Turkey with orthopedical disabilities. It aims to provide the necessary support for citizens
with disabilities, regardless of religion, language, race, region, and gender, and has become a
leading association in Turkey in breaking down barriers with its work.

BEDD, which aims to serve more citizens with disabilities as one of the most well-known and
trusted first twenty non-governmental organizations in Turkey, focuses on providing
treatment, assistance, and education opportunities to children and youth with physical
disabilities, and pioneers their active participation in social life by raising the awareness of
their families and society in general.

BEDD, rooted in its own fully equipped headquarters, academic advisors, and its subsidiary,
DENI Financial Company, has a corporate structure operating in the public interest. The
association, which has distributed its aids hand in hand with governorships, district
governorships, and mayorships throughout the country for nearly 30 years, has received
almost 300 awards, 180 of which are from the government. Having struggled with financial
difficulties in the days it was founded, BEDD today delivers aids to an average of 5,000
disabled people a year. At BEDD, the hope has never died, and the service has not been
interrupted. The association, which is getting stronger day by day with the support of its
friends and donors, continues its activities to remove the obstacles.

The donations and aid projects mentioned here were made with the personal income of the founders of our Foundation, Nurten Tatlıcı and her son Uğur Tatlıcı, in memory of the late Salih Tatlıcı, the benevolent person whose name continues to live on through our Foundation and whom they bid farewell in journey to eternity in 2009.

Our seas are cleaner with the support of Uğur and Nurten Tatlıcı

The late businessman Salih Tatlıcı’s wife Nurten Tatlıcı and their son Uğur Tatlıcı sponsored the liquid waste collection boat, Clean Sea 3, for cleaning the beaches of Marmaris and Hisarönü, the most popular regions of the Aegean in Blue Cruise and yacht tourism, together with TURMEPA Clean Sea Association to keep our seas clean.

Uğur Tatlıcı: “We are carrying out my late father’s will.”

“My late father used to say, ‘To pollute the water is to pollute the future, to take the life out of life.’ The main cause of marine pollution is chemical, industrial, agricultural, or domestic waste discharged from boats on the sea irresponsibly. While most of these wastes sink to the bottom of the sea, some of them hit the shores and float on the water surface. These wastes thrown into the sea are broken down into smaller pieces by the effect of the sun and waves, and they pose a great danger to the health of fish or other creatures living in the seas and, ultimately, all people. My mother and I believe that we need to take active steps to protect our seas, and we consider it a humanitarian duty to support the TURMEPA Clean Sea Association wholeheartedly.” said Uğur Tatlıcı regarding the donation,

TURMEPA Clean Sea Association—An association that plays a vital role in protecting Turkey’s seas and waterways

TURMEPA is a civil society movement that was initiated on April 8, 1994 under the founding chairmanship of Rahmi M. Koç, together with the Chamber of Shipping and a handful of sea lovers, in order to make the protection of our country’s coasts and seas a national priority and to leave a livable Turkey embraced by clean seas for future generations. With the projects it has implemented, TURMEPA, which is well known by the public both nationally and internationally, has become Turkey’s leading marine-oriented non-governmental organization in 25 years. TURMEPA, which received the support of organizations such as IMO, UNEP, The Club of Rome, ICS, and IUCN on international platforms, with the “Declaration for the Protection of the Seas” published in 1995, obtained the status of an association working for the public benefit with the decision taken by the Council of Ministers on June 19, 2000.

TURMEPA, which plays a vital role in protecting Turkey’s seas and waterways, is our country’s leading non-governmental organization operating in this field. Our country is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of natural beauties, historical and cultural resources, biological diversity of its sea and coasts, and both underwater and surface living and non-living assets. The TURMEPA Clean Sea Association has been working to leave a livable Turkey that has achieved its goal of sustainability in development for future generations by making the protection of our seas and coasts a national priority since the day it was founded

The donations and aid projects mentioned here were made with the personal income of the founders of our Foundation, Nurten Tatlıcı and her son Uğur Tatlıcı, in memory of the late Salih Tatlıcı, the benevolent person whose name continues to live on through our Foundation and whom they bid farewell in journey to eternity in 2009.

Support for the Education of Children of Disabled Families from Uğur and Nurten Tatlıcı

The deceased businessman Salih Tatlıcı’s wife, Nurten Tatlıcı, and their son Uğur Tatlıcı, have once again provided scholarship grants to the Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled (“the BEDD”) to support the families who have a physically disabled member and therefore have financial difficulties for their children to support their education and the primary school-aged children of our citizens with physical disabilities.

An Unimpeded Life Is Always Possible with Social Solidarity

Regarding the donation, Uğur Tatlıcı stated: “My late father always used to say to us <remember, each healthy person today is a candidate to be disabled tomorrow; there is no impediment to share the life>. He always considered supporting our disabled brothers and sisters as a duty of humanity. It is our heart that makes us who we are. Together, we can build an unimpeded life with love, solidarity, and empathy. The BEDD is an association working to eliminate challenges for the physically challenged for over twenty years. In addition to many public and private institutions, it has meaningful works that receive support from our citizens. We are also trying to help them. Through the BEDD, we provide educational support to our primary school children who have a physically-disabled relative in their family and are therefore deprived of sufficient financial support to study. Taking this occasion, my mother and I would like to offer our love and respect to all my disabled brothers and sisters and their devoted families; we want them to know that we are always here for them. “

The Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled (BEDD) with its History of Nearly 30 Years

The BEDD was established on July 20, 1993, as a charity association to provide social solidarity by contributing to the education and health needs of all orthopedically disabled citizens of the Republic of Turkey. It aims to provide the necessary support for disabled citizens, regardless of religion, language, race, region, and gender, and has become a leading association in Turkey in breaking down barriers with its work.

As one of Turkey’s most well-known and trusted top twenty non-governmental organizations, the BEDD focuses on providing treatment, assistance, and education opportunities to physically disabled children and youth and leads their active participation in social life by raising awareness of their families and society in general.

BEDD, rooted in its own fully equipped headquarters, academic advisors, and its subsidiary, DENI Financial Company, has a corporate structure operating in the public interest. The association, which has distributed its aids hand in hand with governorships, district governorships, and mayorships throughout the country for nearly 30 years, has received almost 300 awards, 180 of which are from the government. Having struggled with financial difficulties in the days it was founded, the BEDD today delivers aids to an average of 5,000 disabled people a year. At the BEDD, the hope has never died, and the service has not interrupted. The association, which is getting stronger day by day with the support of its friends and donors, continues its activities to remove the obstacles.
The donations and aid projects mentioned here were made with the personal income of the founders of our Foundation, Nurten Tatlıcı and her son Uğur Tatlıcı, in memory of the late Salih Tatlıcı, the benevolent person whose name continues to live on through our Foundation and whom they bid farewell in journey to eternity in 2009.

Support from Nurten and Uğur Tatlıcı to the “Bonorong* Wildlife Sanctuary”

Nurten and Uğur Tatlıcı, also known for their donations for the protection of nature and the environment in Turkey and different parts of the world, gave donation to the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary operating in the Tasmania region of Australia.

Uğur Tatlıcı said: “Together with my mother, our respect for people, nature, and the environment and our support in this direction will continue after this, too.”

Nurten and Uğur Tatlıcı, who both are known for their support for nature and environment protection in our country and different parts of the world, said the following about the donation: “A world in which we can live in harmony with all living things without burning, destroying, polluting the natural habitats of living things in nature, or disturbing the natural balance with artificial interventions can only exist with love. My late father, Salih Tatlıcı, May his soul rest in peace, also taught us to help people, love and respect people, and nature. In this direction, both my mother and I lend a helping hand to the charities in our country. Our donation to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is a continuation of these. Anyone who sees the condition of the injured and baby wild animals and the volunteers who try to help them cannot stand idly by; they would want to do something and help. Here, with humanitarian sensitivity, we help both people and baby animals orphaned in the wild. Our respect to people, nature, and the environment and our support in this direction will continue after this, too.”

Bonorong – Tasmania’s Wildlife Sanctuary

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1981 to assist injured wild animals and orphaned and neglected baby wild animals and is Australia’s most popular wildlife park.

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, which receives more than 3,000 emergency notifications a year for injured and orphaned wild animals, provides a natural habitat for the survival of wounded animals, especially endangered Australia, and the growth of baby animals, by taking action on the notifications.

The organization, which survives entirely with donations and public support, has trained more than 300 volunteers to support activities in this direction.

*An Aboriginal word meaning “native companion.”
The donations and aid projects mentioned here were made with the personal income of the founders of our Foundation, Nurten Tatlıcı and her son Uğur Tatlıcı, in memory of the late Salih Tatlıcı, the benevolent person whose name continues to live on through our Foundation and whom they bid farewell in journey to eternity in 2009.

Educational Aid for Children of Families with Physical Disabilities

The supports of deceased businessman Salih Tatlıcı’s wife Nurten Tatlıcı and her son Uğur Tatlıcı in respect of education continue. Recently, Uğur and Nurten Tatlıcı provided educational support for primary school children of families with physical disabilities through their donation to the Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled.

Uğur Tatlıcı and his mother, Nurten Tatlıcı, continue to follow the rede of late businessman and philanthropist Salih Tatlıcı to support people in need, which was his oral will to them. By their donations to serve this cause, they recently provided educational support to the primary school children of families with physical disabilities through the Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled— one of the leading non-governmental organizations serving our citizens with orthopedic disabilities.

Uğur Tatlıcı: “We will continue our solidarity and support with our citizens with disabilities.”

“My late father, Salih Tatlıcı, was a charitable person who helped people in need while he was alive, and his dying wish to us was in this direction. Together with my mother, we are trying to keep his memory alive with the help and donations we made on behalf of my father. We especially support our citizens with disabilities. We wanted to stand by our orthopedically disabled citizens by providing educational support to the primary school children of families with physical disabilities, with the cooperation we have developed with the Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled, which is one of the important non-governmental organizations in our country with its remarkable efforts to remove the barriers to the participation of people with disabilities in social life. We will continue our support and solidarity with our physically disabled citizens.” Uğur Tatlıcı stated regarding the subject.

The Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled

The Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled (BEDD), which has been operating since 1993, is granted the status of an association working for the public benefit by the decision of the Council of Ministers. The Association carries out significant works for the disabled to participate more actively in social life and social solidarity by removing the obstacles in front of them and to meet the education and health needs of our citizens with orthopedic disabilities in our country. Along with all these activities for which it has won numerous governmental and institutional awards, the Association also carries out educational and promotional activities that will raise awareness in the society about the problems of the disabled together with the social activities it has developed in cooperation with other non-governmental organizations representing the disabled.

The donations and aid projects mentioned here were made with the personal income of the founders of our Foundation, Nurten Tatlıcı and her son Uğur Tatlıcı, in memory of the late Salih Tatlıcı, the benevolent person whose name continues to live on through our Foundation and whom they bid farewell in journey to eternity in 2009.

Support from Uğur and Nurten Tatlıcı to protect our seas

The late businessman Salih Tatlıcı’s wife Nurten Tatlıcı and their son Uğur Tatlıcı continue to develop their cooperation with the Clean Sea Association/Turmepa, a non-governmental organization known for the projects they carry out to protect and keep our seas, beaches, and waterways clean. For the joint project developed for this purpose, the labels and stickers used on different products were delivered to Turmepa for distribution.

Our seas are the most precious treasure we will pass on to future generations.

Regarding the donation, “My late father Salih Tatlıcı used to talk about how the sound of water always gives peace and mention that we should protect our seas. In our country, surrounded by the sea on three sides, the smell of the sea and the sound of the waves have always made me happy. Our seas are the most precious treasure given to us. It should be our indispensable duty to protect this treasure and pass it on to future generations. My mother and I believe that we should take active steps to protect our seas, and we consider it a humanitarian duty to support the Clean Sea Association/Turmepa wholeheartedly.” Uğur Tatlıcı said.

TURMEPA Clean Sea Association, an association that plays a vital role in protecting Turkey’s seas and waterways

TURMEPA is a civil society movement that was initiated on April 8, 1994, under the founding chairmanship of Rahmi M. Koç, together with the Chamber of Shipping and a handful of sea lovers, to make the protection of our country’s coasts and seas a national priority and to leave a livable Turkey embraced by clean seas for future generations. With the projects it has implemented, TURMEPA, which is well known by the public both nationally and internationally, has become Turkey’s leading marine-oriented non-governmental organization in 25 years. TURMEPA, which received the support of organizations such as IMO, UNEP, the Club of Rome, ICS, and IUCN on international platforms, with the “Declaration for the Protection of the Seas” published in 1995, obtained the status of an association working for the public benefit with the decision taken by the Council of Ministers on June 19, 2000.

TURMEPA, which plays a vital role in protecting Turkey’s seas and waterways, is our country’s leading non-governmental organization operating in this field. Our country is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of natural beauties, historical and cultural resources, biological diversity of its sea and coasts, and both underwater and surface living and non-living assets. The TURMEPA Clean Sea Association has been working to leave a livable Turkey that has achieved its goal of sustainability in development for future generations by making the protection of our seas and coasts a national priority since the day it was founded.

The donations and aid projects mentioned here were made with the personal income of the founders of our Foundation, Nurten Tatlıcı and her son Uğur Tatlıcı, in memory of the late Salih Tatlıcı, the benevolent person whose name continues to live on through our Foundation and whom they bid farewell in journey to eternity in 2009.

Uğur and Nurten Tatlıcı Supported Conservation of Endangered Lions

Uğur and Nurten Tatlıcı provided significant support to the National Geographic Society’s “Cause an Uproar” project, developed for the conservation of large species in the feline family such as lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, pumas, and cheetahs.

Today, many animal species are in danger of extinction, as the habitats of wild animals are gradually decreasing. Humans’ unconscious and unplanned consumption of natural resources and the destruction caused to nature undoubtedly play an essential role, too. Among the endangered animals, there are important animal species of the feline family, such as lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, puma, and cheetah. For example, the lion population, which was expressed in millions two thousand years ago, has unfortunately decreased to twenty thousand today. The “Cause an Uproar” project, supported by Uğur and Nurten Tatlıcı, aims to increase the population of such animals by protecting the endangered feline family around the world.

“Unfortunately, future generations will only be able to see lions in photographs and documentaries.”

“We grew up fond of lions with the stories we heard as children. Over time, we had the chance to see these beautiful animals both in reality and in documentaries. It truly breaks my heart to see and know that they become gradually endangered due to the mistakes of humans. If the necessary precautions are not taken, and we do not take steps to protect nature and wildlife in the first place, I’m afraid future generations will be able to see the lions, the King of the Beasts, not in real life but in photographs and historical documentaries. As we support our people in need, we will continue to support the conservation of endangered animal species.” Uğur Tatlıcı stated regarding the support given to the National Geographic Society.

An international organization dedicated to protecting nature and wild animal species for 125 years: The National Geographic Society

Founded on January 13, 1888, in the United States of America, the National Geographic Society is one of the leading educational and scientific organizations that has attracted attention with its activities aimed at protecting the living species on earth, especially the animal kingdom, and raising awareness in this direction, and also develops research on geography and natural sciences without any regard for profit.

Project “Cause an Uproar”

Supported by Uğur and Nurten Tatlıcı, the “Cause an Uproar” Project is one of many projects developed by the National Geographic Society for the conservation of endangered animals. Within the scope of this project, which was developed to protect and increase the population of large species in the feline family such as lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, puma, and cheetah, it is aimed to raise global awareness in this direction and to provide support for the conservation of these species. Many important organizations, non-governmental organizations, and philanthropists also give support to this project.

The donations and aid projects mentioned here were made with the personal income of the founders of our Foundation, Nurten Tatlıcı and her son Uğur Tatlıcı, in memory of the late Salih Tatlıcı, the benevolent person whose name continues to live on through our Foundation and whom they bid farewell in journey to eternity in 2009.

Significant Support to the Library for Individuals with Visual Disabilities from Uğur and Nurten Tatlıcı

Uğur Tatlıcı and his mother, Nurten Tatlıcı, made a very meaningful donation to Boğaziçi University Internet Library for Individuals with Visual Disabilities GETEM. On behalf of and in memory of the late businessman Salih Tatlıcı, his wife Nurten Tatlıcı and their son Uğur Tatlıcı donated new computers to this e-library, which was created to provide audiobooks to those with visual disabilities.

Uğur Tatlıcı: “We will continue to support our citizens with disabilities.”

Regarding the donation made to this important library serving those with visual disabilities, Uğur Tatlıcı stated, “During his lifetime, my late father had done a lot of charity work and made donations to support people in need. Now, together with my mother, we are fulfilling his oral will to keep the memory of my father alive, and we support charitable institutions and organizations as much as we can. The computer donation we made to this special library is a continuation of these, and we will continue to support institutions and organizations that serve our citizens with disabilities.“

Boğaziçi University, Library for Individuals with Visual Disabilities GETEM

Library for Individuals with Visual Disabilities is an e-library that has been operating within Boğaziçi University since 2006 and was developed by the University’s Assistive Technology and Education Laboratory for Individuals with Visual Disabilities (GETEM).It provides 24-hour online service for individuals with visual disabilities and other individuals who have difficulty in accessing printed works due to their disability to have them access the Turkish and English audiobooks and information resources in the library’s extensive archive and access to libraries and archives abroad that provide similar services.In addition to these, access to daily newspapers and weekly and monthly magazines is also offered through the GETEM archives.

Boğaziçi University Library for Individuals with Visual Disabilities, which is one of the most important libraries that serves not only half a million citizens with visual disabilities in our country, but also students with visual and other disabilities access to the information resources they need, continues its activities by further improving its services with the meaningful support of philanthropists such as Uğur and Nurten Tatlıcı.

The donations and aid projects mentioned here were made with the personal income of the founders of our Foundation, Nurten Tatlıcı and her son Uğur Tatlıcı, in memory of the late Salih Tatlıcı, the benevolent person whose name continues to live on through our Foundation and whom they bid farewell in journey to eternity in 2009.