About our Foundation

Vision and Goals

Our Vision: Every child has a right to education – this is what we stand for!

 

The aim of Diyi for Kids is to provide sustainable, direct and tangible help. We want to give children and young people the best possible start in life through supported upbringing and access to education. Because they are our future.

We are committed to regional and international projects that:

  • create and improve the conditions for a good upbringing and education
  • finance learning facilities and adequate learning materials

  • support the training of educators and teachers and

  • enable the promotion of primary school and vocational training.

Foundation Board

Dina Teuchner

Chairwoman of the Board

Dina Teuchner established the Diyi for Kids Stiftung in 2016.

She works as a People Development Manager in a consulting firm, a trainer and a coach.

In her free time, Dina likes to crochet and knit, preferably in her garden outside of Berlin. She enjoys traveling to other countries with her husband Ergin, including the ones supported through Diyi for Kids projects and where children are sponsored.

Ergin Iyilikci

Deputy Chairman of the Board

Ergin Iyilikci is co-founder of the Diyi for Kids Foundation.

Professionally, he is responsible for communications in an online company.

In his free time, he enjoys books and information from all over the world. He also enjoys planning trips with his wife Dina and discovering extraordinary places.

The idea behind the foundation

 

My husband and I celebrated our 40th birthday. We were grateful to look back on many years of health, personal and professional development and a sheltered, happy childhood. Many children in this world are denied this happiness.

Back in 2001, after a trip to Vietnam, we decided to follow our feeling of gratitude and give something back to all those who are denied an optimal start to their future due to a lack of good education and support. We decided to sponsor a child through the children’s aid organization Plan International. What we didn’t realize at the time was that this sponsorship was also a way of giving entire communities a better future. Plan International’s commitment is based on the principle of “helping people to help themselves”.

On a project trip to Vietnam in 2010, I saw for myself, how the donations were being used. I was so impressed by the commitment and support of the many helpers, many of them volunteers, who work together with the communities for a better future.

Now we want to become even more active ourselves – in a more concrete, direct and personal way. With the establishment of the Diyi for Kids Foundation, a heartfelt wish has come true for us.

Find out more about our sponsored children here.

 

About the name of our Foundation

The Diyi for Kids Foundation stands for our names, Dina Teuchner and Ergin Iyilikci. The iyi is borrowed from Turkish and means „good“. These are good reasons for us to establish the family foundation with this name.

 

Foundation Administration

We made a conscious decision to set up our foundation with a renowned external partner, the Hilfe mit Plan foundation. We are part of a foundation network of over 250 foundations under one roof – under which all administrative and financial transactions for our foundation are also carried out. In addition, through Plan International we have a strong children’s aid organization with direct access to international aid projects at our side.

 

Tax Recognition

The Diyi for Kids Foundation is officially recognized by the tax office as a non-profit organization. You can take a look at our foundation charter here.

 

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Here we publish questions that we repeatedly receive. If your question is not answered here, free free to send us a message.

How much of my donation will be used?

We guarantee that 100% of every euro donated will be used solely for the purpose of the foundation and will be passed on to the projects. All costs for foundation management, administration and other necessary expenses for marketing purposes, for example, are covered by income from the foundation’s capital or by extra donations for general purposes.

How well do you know your project partners?

Personal and direct contact with our project partners is very important to us. We regularly check the effective and targeted use of funds and the progress of the projects we support. And we report on this in our Diyi News and on social media.

Can I also donate directly to the project partners?

In principle, this is possible. However, we also pass on 100% of your donation to the project partners, as our administrative costs are covered by income from the foundation’s capital and earmarked donations. Additionally, you also support the work of our foundation.

If I make an endowment contribution to the foundation's capital, what happens to it?
Payments into the foundation’s basic assets distribute profits at the end of the year. These earnings are used to pay administrative costs. By law, the foundation capital may not be liquidated by anyone but always remains an integral part of the foundation.
There are several projects that are being supported at the same time. How are project donations distributed?

In our foundation charter, we have agreed with our partner Plan International to donate 51% of project donations to a project supported by Plan International. We are free to choose the projects for the remaining 49%. The only requirement is that they comply with the foundation’s purpose and charitable status. Depending on the number of projects, we will support them in equal parts.

Can I claim my donation for tax purposes?

Yes, your donation is tax deductible according to §10b EStG (German Income Tax Act). You can donate directly via our donation tool on the website and provide us with your address if you would like a donation receipt. For amounts up to 300 euro, the tax office will accept a copy of the transfer form or your bank statement as proof of donation. You can download a simplified donation receipt in the ‘Your donation’ section.

I am interested in coming to markets or crocheting and knitting for you. Where do I sign up?

We are very happy about that. We can always use helping hands. Just write to us using our contact form, give us a call, or join our public WhatsApp community “Friends of the Diyi for Kids Foundation.” You can also find us on Instagram if you prefer social media.