Women in Hatay Continue to Build Their Businesses!

Women in Hatay Continue to Build Their Businesses!

Women in post-earthquake Hatay are getting a chance to start or develop their own businesses. We provided 20 more women with tools, equipment and materials, bringing the total number of women benefiting from the project to 82. We also organized informative meetings on the basics of marketing and developing their businesses in the digital world upon their request.

Women are taking important steps towards rebuilding their lives.

The women who wanted to apply sent us letters telling their stories and the work they wanted to do. We visited each woman at her address and interviewed her face-to-face.

Sibel Alır from Antakya Social Affairs Directorate, Tutku Doksöz , a PhD student in Business/Marketing, Atiye Sönmez Erdoğdu , President of Samandağ Women’s Cooperative, Nidal Özdemir , President of Producing Hands Cooperative, Gönül Uğurlu , Board Member of Antakya Commodity Exchange and Aybala Arslantürk , MaviKalem Communication Specialist.

We asked the women about the materials they need to start or develop their businesses.

“I want to bloom again like a flower trying to emerge from the rubble”

Husni, a mother of four, experienced great hardship with her husband and children during the earthquake. Her house was badly damaged and she lost all her belongings. Hüsni, who was interested in sewing before the earthquake, was supporting her family by working in this field.

We provided Hüsni with a sewing machine, the most basic need for her to continue her work. Thanks to this machine, she not only sewed buckles and scarves, but also started to earn income again by working in various fields related to sewing such as repair work.

Hüsni created a regular source of income by selling the buckles she produced to wholesalers. With this income, she covers the education expenses of her son who is preparing for university and supports her family.

“This was my dream machine, I wanted it so much. I started working thanks to this machine. I want to bloom again like a flower trying to come out of the rubble,” Hüsni said, rebuilding her life with the support she received.

The “Women Access to Income Project” helps women regain their economic independence and strengthens social solidarity in Hatay.

The stories of many women like Hüsni inspire other women in Hatay who are struggling to rebuild their lives.

The project is implemented by MaviKalem and supported by Turkish Philanthropy Funds.