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EPISODE 07 (NOVEMBER 15, 2009)

 THIS WEEK'S CHANGEMAKER: TARA HOPKINS

Sabanci Foundation's "Turkey's Changemakers" TV program shares inspiring stories of individuals who make a difference in social and economic development.

 

The seventh episode of Sabancı Foundation's "Turkey's Changemakers" tells the story of Tara Hopkins, an American who has been living in Turkey for 19 years. Despite the fact that she cannot speak the local language fluently, she still managed to make a difference in women's lives while contributing to environmental protection in Turkey.

She developed a project called "Cop (m)adam" (Garbage Lady) which transforms waste material into vendible, creative, reproducible and fun handbags. While doing so, she involved one of Turkey's most disadvantaged in the production process: Women.

While every handbag created provides women who produces them with a regular income, it also encourages people who buy handbags to rethink about recycling.

Tara Hopkins officially launched this project in August 2008. Since August 2008, the "Garbage Lady" project produced 1100 handbags out of packaging waste/materials and 500 out of fabric and nylon bags.

"Garbage Lady" currently has 150 women employees in various provinces such as Balikesir, Istanbul and Diyarbakir.

For the written document of the program please click here...

For More Information:
www.copmadam.com


Turkey's Changemakers
Turkey's Changemakers
Turkey's Changemakers