“I herewith endow this foundation so that my past and present philanthropy may continue to be of service to the Turkish nation after I have passed away.”

January 17, 1969, Vehbi Koç

The late Vehbi Koç was not only one of Turkey’s most successful businessmen but also a true philanthropist who believed that everyone had a personal responsibility to contribute towards the solution of social problems.

Vehbi Koç felt genuine concern for the poor and extended them a helping hand, right from the beginning of his working life. His philanthropy grew with the years, and he began to donate greater and greater funds towards the construction of social facilities.

He firmly believed that education was crucial to the country’s development and considered it to be a humanitarian and patriotic duty to help educate the young. With this belief in mind, he initiated the construction of several schools, libraries and student dormitories.

Another area to which Vehbi Koç attached great importance was healthcare. He rightly believed that the subject of health was of fundamental significance and therefore donated funds and facilities in order to help improve healthcare.

As his philanthropic projects became more and more prolific, he felt the need to institutionalize them to ensure that they would continue beyond his lifetime. The Vehbi Koç Foundation was one of his life’s greatest projects. Formed in 1969, the Foundation still continues to grow and expand today on the sound material foundations that were laid by him.