originated as a means of raising funds for philanthropic
ventures, such as the construction of schools,
accommodation for students, hospitals or religious
instititutions, or to pay for the upkeep of
such institutions. Lotteries of this type became
widespread, and in Ottoman Turkey, for instance,
lotteries were held to raise funds for the construction
of Kandilli Royal School for Girls, and to assist
pupils in need at vocational schools in Yzmir.
But these charitable and fund raising lotteries
were mainly local and small in scope, and none
compared to the scale of the Turkish Aircraft
Association Lottery of the early Turkish Republic.
Instead of the traditional raffle prizes, this
new lottery paid money prizes. Atatürk,
founder of the Turkish Republic, realised the
important role of aviation, summing it up in
the words, the future lies in the skies.
But the young republic was severely limited
financially, as debts inherited from the Ottoman
Empire were still being paid off.