site.btaTurkiye's Religious Affairs Directorate Joins Efforts against Birth Rate Decline with Financial Assistance Project

The Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) has joined efforts to overcome the country's demographic crisis caused by declining birth rates with the Two People, One Life project, which will be implemented jointly with the Turkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV) and in cooperation with the Presidency.

The project provides financial assistance to young people who are orphans, homeless, or in difficult economic circumstances, who are engaged or intend to marry, to help them start families and encourage them to have children.

Under the project, which covers all 81 provinces of Turkiye, couples who meet the criteria will receive a grant of TRY 500,000 (about EUR 10,000) for a dowry, the Anadolu Agency reports.

The Two People, One Life project was developed as part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Decade of Family and Population initiative for 2026-2037. The project aims to encourage young people to get married, reduce wedding costs, and contribute to strengthening the institution of the family and promoting fertility, according to a TDV statement.

It is intended for engaged young people between the ages of 18 and 35 who are orphans, have lost one parent, or are in need, whose monthly income does not exceed the amount of two minimum wages, and who are getting married or have gotten married for the first time.

Applications will be accepted between March 13 and 31, and the grants will be awarded after June 1 this year.

For couples participating in the project, seminars entitled "School for Marriage" will be organized by Diyanet. The aim is to prepare them for family life and to encourage childbirth.

According to data from Turkiye Today, 59 of the country's 81 provinces are already classified as "very aged" due to the high proportion of elderly people. Currently, 57.2% of households have no children under the age of 18.