Anatolian Development Foundation (ADF)

ADF, originally named Van and Environs Development Foundation, was established in Van, Eastern Turkey on 29 April 1981. The founding committee consisted of local representatives then elected five administrative board members. The board members selected Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akyürek as the President of the Board since the establishment of the Foundation. The initial purpose of the Foundation was to promote the rehabilitation and development of the Van region, which suffered an enormous amount of damage as a result of the 1976 earthquake.

 In 1986, the scope and purpose of the Foundation's Charter was altered in response to the 1983 Erzurum- Kars earthquake disasters. Rather than only concentrating on development and rehabilitation in the Van region, the new Anatolian Development Foundation pledged to provide emergency aid to disaster-struck and needy areas, in addition to development and rehabilitation assistance. In 1993, the Foundation’s Charter was altered once again ,in response to the massive influx of refugees , into Turkey. In order to help the refugees, he Foundation got involved in issues of human rights violation and refugee assistance. Both fields of activities were incorporated into the constitutional aims of the Foundation.