Adım Adım Initiative

Adım Adım logo.

Adım Adım ("step-by-step" in Turkish) is a volunteer-based social initiative in Turkey that promotes charitable giving through sponsorship for sports like running, cycling, swimming and trekking. Formed in 2007,^[1] Adım Adım is Turkey's first^[1] charity running group and as of 2011 it was the largest amateur running group in the country.^[2]

Adım Adım is the official social responsibility partner of Intercontinental Istanbul Eurasia Marathon^[3] and the Antalya Marathon.^[4] Figures provided by Adım Adım show it has helped raise donations in excess of USD 1 million in conjunction with major running events and other sports competitions over the past three years, USD 250,000 of which was collected during the first quarter of 2011.^[5]

Projects

Adım Adım members on wheelchair and on foot participating the Istanbul Marathon, October 17, 2010.

Unlike many other similar initiatives^[6] Adım Adım works for more than one charity organization acting only as an intermediary for collecting donations. Upon choosing the organizations they follow, Adim Adim says they consider criteria like the social utility of a project, transparency and accountability.^[7]

Adım Adım runners, swimmers, walkers and cyclists supported the following projects during 2007-2011:

• Buğday Association - TaTuTa Organic Farm Stays Project^[8]
• The Educational Volunteers Foundation of Turkey (TEGV) - Midyat and Savur, Mardin “Ateşböceği” Mobile Education Unit Project
• Turkish Spinal Injury Association (TOFD) - Motorized Wheelchair Project
• Community Volunteers Foundation (TOG) - Scholarships and “Gençlere Değer” projects

Notes

2. Interview in CNBC-E (in Turkish), İndeks İletişim web site, as at April 20, 2011
3. İstanbul Avrasya Maratonu web site, as at April 20, 2011.
4. "With non-governmental organization Adım Adım as its social responsibility partner, Runtalya Marathon ..." Hürriyet Daily News web site, as at April 20, 2011
5. Adım Adım web site, as at April 20, 2011.
6. "So, what is charity running all about? (...) Runners choose to join a particular charity over another for a number of reasons and it is vital that charities maintain a competitive edge by providing more and more for their runners each year."(emphasis in the original) realbuzz.com web site, as of April 22, 2011.
7. Adım Adım web site, as of April 20, 2011.
8. Buğday Ekolojik Yaşam Derneği web site, as of April 20, 2011.