Women of Soma are heading towards the future with KAGİDER…

Through a program financed by the European Union and the Republic of Türkiye, women from Soma received vocational training, including psychological support and preparation for the business world.

The "Soma Women Illuminate the Future" project, conducted by the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey (KAGİDER) and project partners Galatasaray University Continuing Education Research and Application Center (GSÜSEM) and the Soma Public Education Center Directorate, concluded on Monday, October 30. Funded by the European Union and the Republic of Turkey, the program provided psychological support, business preparation, and vocational training to the women of Soma.

Coping with the grieving process…

“The "Soma Women Brighten the Future" project was established after the Soma mine disaster on May 13, 2014, targeting women directly and indirectly affected by the disaster. The goal was to enable women previously unemployed to acquire vocational skills. This included increasing their knowledge and awareness of access to public services through various training programs and supporting them through the grieving process through a social empowerment and rehabilitation program.

“For "Soma Women Brighten the Future," information was first distributed throughout the district. Women in 301 households affected by the Soma mining disaster were contacted through the district governor's office, provided with information about the project and training programs, and invited to participate. Additionally, training announcements and project information were sent to 250 women via the Soma Public Education Center's SMS system.

Ornamental plant cultivation training…

As part of the project, 50 unemployed women living in Soma were trained in machine sewing and ornamental plant cultivation, helping them enter the labor market. Fifty women aged 22 and over with at least a primary school education were selected from the applicants, ranked by disadvantage. Twenty of these women received vocational training in machine sewing, and 30 in ornamental plant cultivation. Additionally, 11 different core competency training programs, primarily on entrepreneurship, were provided to prepare the women for various aspects of professional life. Throughout the project, the women from Soma who participated in the training also benefited from entrepreneurship consulting services.