To transforms alumni from job seekers into job creators.
We believe in empowering social entrepreneurs to drive innovation and solve community challenges.
Problem
As alumni of the Türkiye Scholarships (YTB) program, we’ve noticed a significant issue: over 2,000 students graduate annually (Daily Sabah, 2022), yet over 80% struggle to find well-paying jobs in their home countries, especially those from developing countries where job opportunities are scarce. As a result, these graduates face significant challenges upon their return. Moreover, graduates often return to environments marked by poverty, limited access to opportunities—conditions starkly different from the first-world contexts their education was tailored for. This is because, the curriculum was designed for developed markets, frequently misaligns with the urgent, survival-oriented realities of their home countries. In addition, these developing nations lack sufficient job creation and entrepreneurial ecosystems; for instance, only 7% of youth in these regions engage in entrepreneurship (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, 2021), which worsens unemployment among skilled graduates. Therefore, this mismatch between education and local needs, combined with insufficient economic opportunities, hinders graduates from applying their knowledge to drive community impact. Consequently, many talented graduates are left without a clear path forward, undermining the very goals of scholarship programs like YTB, which aim to help these graduates make a meaningful difference in their communities.
Solution
To address this challenge, the AFELI Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Innovation Fellowship is committed to equipping scholarships alumni—such as YTB graduates—with the entrepreneurial and leadership skills needed to create lasting social and economic change in their home countries.Through a dynamic entrepreneurship program, AFELI fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation while providing practical tools to help graduates transform their ideas into sustainable businesses. The fellowship is designed to support outstanding entrepreneurial projects by offering access to training, resources, financial support, and a strong network of mentors. This ensures that participants not only develop their business skills but also gain the confidence and connections needed to launch successful ventures. Over a 6-month intensive program, fellows cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset and leadership abilities to drive both social and financial impact. By tackling local challenges, creating businesses, and contributing to economic growth, they become changemakers in their communities. Additionally, AFELI fellows serve as volunteer ambassadors for scholarship initiatives, inspiring future graduates to pursue entrepreneurship as a viable and impactful career path. This initiative transforms scholarship recipients from job seekers into job creators, directly addressing the employment gap and ensuring that scholarship programs like YTB fulfill their vision of empowering graduates to build a better future