BigCat Research

Snowball for Tomorrow: Early Childhood Investment Analysis

We analyzed the behavioral effects on parents and children of educational modules supporting the developmental tracking of children aged 3-6. We reported the long-term social ROI capacity of early childhood education.

Client / partners: Yapı Kredi, TOG Foundation

Year: 2025

Project type: Education Impact Analysis

Status: Completed

Project impact: Equality of opportunity in education and measurement of early development metrics.

Background from public sources

The programme

Yarınlara Kartopu (Snowball for Tomorrow) is an early childhood education and development project that Yapı Kredi launched in 2023, the centenary of the Turkish Republic. It targets children aged 0-6 and their parents, with priority given to children in socio-economically disadvantaged settings. The project started in the earthquake-affected provinces, with plans to extend it nationwide.[2][3][4]

Content and delivery

Prof. Dr. Selçuk Şirin and a team of academics prepared the training content and sets. The digital platform offers families 212 free training videos totalling more than 18 hours, along with podcasts and other materials. Families who complete a set number of videos receive physical training sets. In the first phase, about 400 Yapı Kredi volunteers were trained by AÇEV trainers.[1][2][3][4]

BigCat Research's role

In a 2025 study for Yapı Kredi and the Community Volunteers Foundation (TOG), BigCat Research analysed the behavioural effects on parents and children of education modules that support developmental tracking for children aged 3-6. The study also reported on the long-term social return of early childhood education.[5]

Sources

  1. Forbes Türkiye, Okul öncesi çocuklara Yarınlara Kartopu etkisi, 2026-08-08. Accessed 2026-10-15
  2. Ekonomist, Yarınlara Kartopu Türkiye genelinde büyümeye devam ediyor, 2026-08-08. Accessed 2026-10-15
  3. Diken, Yapı Kredi'den çocuklar için 'Yarınlara Kartopu' projesi, 2023-11-13. Accessed 2026-10-15
  4. Ekonomi Gazetesi, Yapı Kredi'den okul öncesine yatırım: Kartopu etkisi yaratacak, 2023-11-07. Accessed 2026-10-15
  5. BigCat Research, Yarınlara Kartopu: Erken Çocukluk Dönemi Yatırım Analizi (proje kaydı), 2025. Accessed 2026-10-15