Project Summary
Grantee	: Foundation for the Support of Women’s Work (KEDV)
Purpose	: Strengthening enterprises of women through empowering micro entrepreneur women
Location	: 24 cities
Grant Amount	: 266.000 TL
Project Partner	: Corporate Volunteer Association, Youth for Habitat Association, First Step Women’s Cooperative, Light of Hope Women’s Cooperative, Silk Road Women’s Cooperative
Period	: 1 June 2009- 30 November 2010
Status	: Completed
Project Year	: 2009

Background

According to the World Bank statistics (2005), there are more than 6 million people who are employed in the informal sector among which women consist 1/3. Half of the women that are employed in the informal sector create home based services and production. Both the academicians and global development agents underline the importance of those economic activities and income generated by women. Those enterprises play an important role in employment creation and income generation and serve as a very important tool in fighting women poverty. (FSWW, 2008)

Project Goals

• Youth for Habitat Association will deliver computer trainings for 1.200 micro entrepreneur women in 24 cities. (Adapazari, Aydin/Kusadasi, Batman, Çankiri, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Duzce, Eskisehir, Erzincan, Gaziantep, Hatay, İstanbul, İzmir, Kahramanmaras, Kars, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Manisa, Mardin, Sinop, Samsun, Sivas, Sanlıurfa ve Trabzon)
• A Mentorship program will be developed for 54 private sector volunteers from 15 different companies.
• A work portal will be developed for entrepreneur women for access to mentoring, communication and information services.
• 1000 women micro entrepreneurs will have access to a portal for micro enterprise support services.

Project Results

• Youth for Habitat volunteers trained 1224 micro-entrepreneur women in 24 cities.
• Corporate Volunteers Association trained 54 consultants from private sector.
• Evaluation meetings for the development of the portal took place in 10 cities with the participation of portal members and volunteers.
• A work portal for entrepreneur women for access to mentoring, communication and information services has been established. In order to see the portal, please visit www.girisimcikadin.com
• Some numbers regarding the Web Portal by April 2011 are:
  • Total Member: 1.378
  • Total Mentor: 54
  • Total Visitors: 372.000
  • Member Visitors:6.432
  • Average Visitors on daily basis:300
  • Page View of Notes:11.224
  • Number of Questions Asked:574
  • Page View:4.984

Testimonials

“I am Saziye and I am member of Biga Women’s Cooperative. I heard about the trainings and the Project from the manager of the cooperative. I think this Project is very useful for women who want to develop new skills and increase their capacity as entrepreneurs. We can ask any question in our minds and that makes us feel much empowered. Through the portal I got the answers for many of my questions I had in mind for so long. There are a lot more to learn. But now I know how to Access knowledge. Thank you very much”.

Saziye Kurt / Canakkale

“I heard about the Project and the trainings from FSWW. I assigned for the Project in order to learn how to use the computer, promote my products through internet, follow other product design trends and share information with other entrepreneur women. I benefited a lot form the “Ask someone who knows” section. It made my life much easier. I can get answers for all my questions.”

Gultan Bingol / Istanbul