ZİÇEV

What ZİÇEV does

ZİÇEV (Zihinsel Yetersiz Çocukları Yetiştirme ve Koruma Vakfı / Foundation for Raising and Protecting Children with Intellectual Disabilities) is a Turkish non-profit foundation founded on March 8, 1982 by Makbule Ölçen. It provides special education, rehabilitation, vocational training, independent living skills, and residential care services to children and adults with intellectual disabilities across Turkey through 17 facilities in 14 cities, anchored by a 155-decare (≈155,000 sqm) main campus in Gölbaşı, Ankara. The foundation pioneered proof that children with IQ below 50 are educable in Turkey and holds public-benefit-foundation status since 1987.

The service model is built on seven age-banded curricula: ZEEP early education (0–6), self-care classes (8–16), academic skills (12–18), occupational therapy (20+), the Life House independent-living program (21+), social/cultural/artistic activities, and family education and counseling. Delivery relies on a multidisciplinary team (psychologists, special education teachers, physiotherapists, social workers) plus local volunteer boards. Beyond core programs, ZİÇEV participates in EU Erasmus+ consortia — SHINE (sexual-health interactive games and an Instructor Guide), Bridge4Fitness (AI-supported sports platform for special needs), and the European Digital Network for families with disabled children.

Revenue is entirely donation- and grant-based; all services are delivered free of charge. Streams include individual donations (one-time, monthly recurring, religious-occasion giving — Qurban, Ramadan iftar, fitre/zakat, special-occasion certificates), corporate workplace giving (Benevity, Açık Açık, Adım), and institutional funding from the German Embassy, Japanese Government, Spor Toto, and Vakıfbank. The foundation holds trademark registration (2014) and the rare regulatory privilege of collecting donations without prior permission (granted 2010). No revenue, fee schedule, or financial KPIs are publicly disclosed.

Name

ZİÇEV

Legal name

Zihinsel Yetersiz Çocukları Yetiştirme ve Koruma Vakfı

Website

https://zicev.org.tr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ZİÇEV is a Turkish non-profit foundation (founded 1982) that delivers free special education, rehabilitation, vocational training, and residential care to children and adults with intellectual disabilities through 17 facilities across 14 cities, funded by donations, corporate giving, and institutional grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education and Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Educational Support Services (611710), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Schools & Life Skills Programs (EDAKAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adult Day Respite Programs (Daytime Relief) (HLADAKAC), Special Needs Adult Day Programs (Developmental/Physical Disabilities, Seniors) (HLADAIAI), Benefits Counseling & Financial Literacy for Transition-Age Youth (EDAKANAJ)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Intellectual disability rehabilitation
• Vocational therapy programs
• Family counseling services
• Residential care facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Ankara

HQ country

Türkiye

HQ region

Europe

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: ZİÇEV accepts donations from individuals through online portals (fonzip.com), bank transfers (HAVALE/EFT), SMS donations, and in-person at branch locations. Donation options include one-time gifts, monthly recurring donations, special occasion certificates, Quran/adaq sacrifices, Ramadan iftar donations, and fitre/zakat payments.
2. Corporate and Institutional Partnerships: Partnerships with corporations for workplace giving (Benevity, Açık Açık platforms), corporate donations, and CSR programs. The foundation also collaborates with the German Embassy, Japanese Government, Spor Toto, and Vakıfbank for facility construction and funding.
3. EU and International Project Funding: ZİÇEV receives EU Erasmus+ program funding for international projects including SHINE (sexual health education), Bridge4Fitness (AI fitness platform), and a European Digital Network for families of disabled children. These are project-based grants.
4. Real Estate Donations: The foundation accepts real estate donations (gayrimenkul bağışı) as a form of contribution.
5. Kurban and Religious Sacrifice Donations: Special Islamic religious giving programs including Qurban (sacrifice) donations, adaq/qadaq offerings, and Ramadan iftar contributions, which peak during religious seasons.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ZİÇEV is a Turkish non-profit foundation (vakıf) that provides free, full-day special education, rehabilitation, and care services for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Operating 17 facilities across 14 Turkish cities, the foundation delivers seven age-tiered education programs spanning early intervention (ZEEP, 0-6 years) through adulthood, including self-care, academic skills, occupational therapy, independent living skills (Life House), family education and counseling, and residential care. All services are delivered at no cost to beneficiaries, funded entirely through donations, corporate partnerships, and EU/international project grants.

Product overview

ZİÇEV (Zihinsel Yetersiz Çocukları Yetiştirme ve Koruma Vakfı) operates a comprehensive portfolio of special education and rehabilitation services through 12 education and rehabilitation centers, 1 residential care home, 1 Art Therapy Education Center, 1 Day Care Center, 3 Breathing Houses, and 1 Special Makbule Ölçen Special Education Institutions General Directorate. The core offerings include age-specific education programs: ZEEP (0-6 years early education), Self-care Classes (8-16 years), Academic Skills Training (12-18 years), Occupational Therapy (20+ years), and Basic Life Skills/Living House (21+ years). Additional services encompass family education and counseling, social/cultural/artistic activities, and vocational training. Active technology-enhanced projects include SHINE (sexual health education with interactive games), Bridge4Fitness (AI-supported sports platform), and European Digital Network for families with disabled children. The foundation also provides various donation methods including online donations, wire transfers, regular monthly donations, property donations, and special occasion certificates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Özel Makbule Ölçen Özel Eğitim Kurumları (Special Makbule Ölçen Special Education Institutions): Educational institutions operating under the ZİÇEV foundation, established in November 2006 to consolidate education centers for children with intellectual disabilities under a unified general directorate.

Products and services

• İş Uğraşı Terapisi - Occupational Therapy Program
• Yaşam Evi - Life House Independent Living Skills
• Aile Eğitimi ve Danışmanlığı - Family Education and Counseling
• ZİÇEV Yatılı Bakım ve Rehabilitasyon Merkezi - Residential Care and Rehabilitation Center
• SHINE Project - Sexual Health and Personal Safety Education
• Bridge4Fitness - AI-Supported Sports Platform
• Mesleki Beceri Kazandırma Projeleri - Vocational Skills Training Projects
• Akıllı Tarım Sosyal Girişim Projesi - Smart Agriculture Social Entrepreneurship
• Özbakım Sınıfları - Self-Care Skills Training
• Akademik Beceri Eğitimi - Academic Skills Training
• ZİÇEV Erken Eğitim Programı (ZEEP) - Early Education Program

Quantifiable outcome

• By 1985, the association's school had grown to 16 classes with 152 students, demonstrating rapid demand-driven growth
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• BenevitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBenevity is a workplace giving platform that enables employees to make donations to ZİÇEV through their employers' corporate giving programs. ZİÇEV is listed as a beneficiary on the Benevity platform, allowing employees of partner corporations to direct charitable donations.
• Açık AçıkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAçık Açık is a Turkish workplace giving and volunteering platform. ZİÇEV partners with Açık Açık to receive donations from employees of corporations using the platform for their CSR programs.
• AdımminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdım is a Turkish corporate social responsibility platform that connects nonprofits with corporate partners. Listed as a partner/donor platform on ZİÇEV's website.
• BDO TürkiyeminorOthersBDO Türkiye (Binder Dijken Orhun) is listed as a partner on ZİÇEV's website. Nature of partnership appears to be professional/pro-bono services.
• SHINE Project ConsortiumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHINE is an international project focused on sexual health education for young people with intellectual disabilities. ZİÇEV is a partner in this multi-country initiative. The project developed 8 interactive games and an Instructor Guide for educators. The project was successfully completed with ZİÇEV reporting positive outcomes for young beneficiaries.
• Bridge4Fitness ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBridge4Fitness is an EU-funded project creating an AI-supported sports platform for individuals with special needs. ZİÇEV participates as a consortium partner. Led by Bucharest National University of Physical Education and Sport (Romania), with partners FURIM Institute, Mobile Adventure, SpedTech.
• European Digital Network for Families of Disabled Children ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn EU-supported digital network and virtual center project aimed at strengthening families who have children with disabilities. ZİÇEV is a consortium partner in this European initiative.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tohum Otizm Vakfı: Turkish foundation dedicated to autism spectrum disorders providing education, rehabilitation, and family support. Directly comparable as a domestic nonprofit special-education foundation serving developmental disabilities with similar lifecycle programming and donor-dependency.
• Türkiye Down Sendromu Derneği: Turkish Down Syndrome Association serving individuals with intellectual disabilities through education, family support, and social integration programs. Directly comparable in mission, beneficiary population (overlap with IDD), and nonprofit service-delivery model.

Regional players

• ÖZEL EĞİTİM VE REHABİLİTASYON MERKEZLERİ (Turkish Private Special Ed Centers): Network of private special education and rehabilitation centers licensed under the Turkish Ministry of National Education post-2005 reform; comparable in service offering but operate as for-profit/fee-based rather than donation-funded nonprofits.

Broad incumbents

• Mencap: UK charity supporting people with learning disabilities through education, advocacy, housing, and employment services. Comparable as an established nonprofit serving intellectual disabilities with full-lifecycle programming, though operating at much larger scale in a different geography.
• The Arc: US-based national organization on intellectual and developmental disabilities with advocacy, education, and direct service programs. Comparable in mission and lifespan-coverage model, though much larger scale and US-only footprint.
• Special Olympics: Global organization providing sports training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities. Comparable beneficiary population (IDD) and Turkey presence (Special Olympics Türkiye); complementary rather than substitutive given ZİÇEV's broader education mandate.
• Best Buddies International: Global nonprofit creating opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable in mission focus on IDD empowerment, though US-headquartered and differently structured.
• Easterseals: US nonprofit network providing disability services including early intervention, autism services, vocational training, and adult day services. Comparable lifecycle programming for people with disabilities and similar nonprofit branch-network model.

Emerging players

• Down Syndrome International: International umbrella organization focused on improving quality of life for people with Down syndrome through advocacy, information sharing, and World Down Syndrome Day campaigns. Comparable in focus on IDD advocacy and information dissemination, though ZİÇEV delivers direct services.

Others

• Benevity: Workplace-giving software platform used by ZİÇEV to receive corporate donations; relevant as an enabling infrastructure partner rather than a competitor — useful comparator for the digital infrastructure underpinning modern nonprofit fundraising.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ZİÇEV