Kavuklu, Head of GI-KA Coop: We set out to contribute to the fact that women are not only participants but also leaders.

Established two years ago under the leadership of the Cyprus Turkish Entrepreneurial Women’s Association (GİKAD), the Entrepreneurial Women’s Development Cooperative (Gİ-KA Koop) established a sales point in the old train station building in Nicosia.

In reference to the historical importance of the building, at this point of sale called “The Station”, handicraft productions of rural women, from saddle baskets to babutsa paste, meet with the buyer.

Turkish Agency Cyprus (TAK) correspondent, Cyprus Turkish Entrepreneur Women’s Association (GIKAD) and GI-KA Coop President İçim Çağıner Kavuklu, Gİ-Ka Koop As President Yeşim Direl and Executive Board members Ziynet Şah, Özlem Özbekoğlu, Özlem Ratip, Gülnur Sadıkoğlu, He met with Ayşem Çelebi and Şehnaz Çehreli Şefik and received information about the activities of the cooperative.

-Kavuklu: “We set out to contribute to women being not only participants but also leaders”

Explaining that GIKAD is a team that has achieved success in its own business in different sectors, has accumulated experience, and aims to empower women by transferring this knowledge and experience to the society, Kavuklu said, “To contribute not only to the economy, but also from political life to social responsibility projects, sports and art, women not only participating but also guiding. We are an association set out for the

Pointing out that they think that entrepreneurship should exist not only in business life but also in all areas, Kavuklu noted that they took this step to empower women not only in the center but also in the countryside.

Stating that during their visit to the region, they encountered women who both produce but cannot find a market, and who want to participate in the economy but do not know how to do it, Kavuklu said that they realized that they needed a platform at this point.

Pointing out that cooperatives have an important place in the culture of Turkish Cypriots, Kavuklu stated that all women in the authorized committees of GI-KA Koop are very sensitive about this issue.

Explaining that there are women who are experts in every field from industry to marketing, from education to sales in the cooperative management, Kavuklu said, “We have joined forces.”

Kavuklu stated that GI-KA Koop follows the b-type social cooperative model that is effective in Spain and Italy.

-“In the first step, we reached out to women who wanted to participate in production but could not find the opportunity”

Stating that one of the first steps they took as a cooperative was to reach women who wanted to participate in production but could not find the opportunity, Kavuklu said that in this context, they donated sewing machines, fabrics and threads to women in Sipahi village and gave sewing training. Stating that Berin Avunduk has undertaken the project and the legal follow-up of the grants, Kavuklu stated that they agreed with the Cyprus Turkish Hoteliers Association to purchase the tablecloths and napkins produced by the women with these materials.

Explaining that they started to buy the products produced by women in cash, Kavuklu said, “There are already kadis taking money to their homes. One of those women went to driving school, got a driver’s license and started driving,” she said, pointing to the change that the project has already started to create.

Stating that they donated machinery and materials to women in shelters within the scope of this project, Kavuklu explained that the tablecloths and napkins produced here will be sold to hotels.

On the other hand, Kavuklu noted that they also produced a project for women in prison: “Women in prison had machines, but they did not know what to do. We will give them waste fabrics, they will sew shopping and beach bags for us,” he said. Kavuklu emphasized that in this way, women in prison will both earn money and develop a skill that they can use after they are released from prison.

Kavuklu also stated that the women who are currently producing make their products ready for sale and sell them at the Station, adding that they attach great importance to this process.

Explaining that they standardized the products, designed them to make them more attractive, and packaged them in the right way, Kavuklu said that they made the products ready for sale.

İçim Çağıner Kavuklu emphasized that they pay the price of all the products they buy from women in cash, and stated that they sell the products they buy either in bulk to hotels or retail at the Station.

Explaining that they rented this building, which was a train station before, from the General Directorate of Foundations, Kavuklu thanked the Foundations Administration for their support and said, “This station has been a very important point for us. It’s become our go-to place. Thanks to this place, the production of women will reach tourists and our people.”

-Over 100 women’s productions are on sale

Stating that women from all over the island are selling the production of more than 100 women at the Station, Kavuklu said that the cooperative is open to all women who produce.

-“Our door is open to all women who want to enjoy producing together”

Noting that their doors are open to all women who produce, want to improve themselves and want to enjoy producing together, Kavuklu announced that those who want to become a member of the cooperative can reach them through their website and social media accounts.

Touching on the issue of income sharing, Kavuklu said, “Our goal here is for women to get their rights when they produce. To prevent women from buying products for 10 liras and selling them for 20 liras… To ensure that products are sold at the right market value…”

Explaining that the cooperative only receives a share of the products sold, which is sufficient to carry out its activities, Kavuklu said, “Our aim is not to make a profit.”

-Direl: “We are planning to establish auditable common kitchens”

Expressing that the cooperative currently supervises the production of women at home and also gives hygiene and packaging trainings, Deputy Chairman Yeşim Direl stated that they plan to establish auditable common kitchens for production in the coming period. Direl noted that this will make it possible to export as well.

Stating that they have started the common kitchen project by choosing Serdarlı as the pilot region, Direl stated that they will establish common kitchens in all regions in the future.

Stating that İçim Çağıner Kavuklu donated a land in Altınova to the cooperative and lavender and fragrant Cyprus roses were planted on this land, Direl explained that aromatic essential oils will be obtained with the distillation device purchased with the support of TİKA, KEI and YAGA.

Expressing that these oils will be used in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, high value-added products will be obtained, Direl said. Assoc. Dr. She stated that Eda Becer guided them in all scientific preparation, grant applications, distillation and product development processes.

Direl said that they implemented the “Agricultural School” project with Beyarmudu Municipality. Noting that with this project, they aim to enable the people of the region to participate in the economy through agriculture, Direl said that they plan to ensure that the seeds of forgotten ancestors are grown.

Shah: “We are working to increase the added value of products and to reveal the talents of women”

Ziynet Şah, a member of the Executive Board, reminded that when they founded GİKAD, they declared that their vision is to lead communication, development and change, and stated that they established this cooperative to implement this together with women.

Shah emphasized that they are working to increase the added value of the products produced and to reveal the talents of women.

-Özbekoğlu: “This is a destination and departure point, a meeting point for women”

Özlem Özbekoğlu, from the Executive Board, also stated that they paved the way for branding for women who produce, and that they label food products and write their expiration dates.

Reminding that the building where the sales point is located was a train station in the past, Özbekoğlu said, “This is an arrival and departure point, a meeting point for women… Every woman standing here will continue on her way stronger.”

Özbekoğlu also noted that their goal is to open more stations.

-Ratip: “We also identified different training needs in different regions, we prepared training programs to meet them”

Executive Board member Özlem Ratip emphasized the educational pillar of the cooperative. Ratip said, “We have identified different training needs in different regions, we have prepared training programs to meet them” and explained that financial literacy training will be organized in Karpaz, for example.

Noting that product packaging trainings will also be given at many points, Ratip stated that there are training truck projects for regions where women cannot reach training points.

-Sadıkoğlu: “Everyone is pleased with the fact that they can find all Cyprus-related products in the same place and know that their shopping benefits women”

Gülnur Sadıkoğlu, the manager of the Station, which functions as the sales point of the cooperative, said that there is great interest in the store. Stating that the store, which is open between 09:30 in the morning and 17:00 in the evening, also provides services on Saturdays, Sadıkoğlu said, “What everyone is pleased with is that they can find all the products related to Cyprus in the same place and know that their shopping is for the benefit of women.”

Noting that they are currently working to improve the cafe in the store, Sadıkoğlu stated that they plan to serve lunch. Sadıkoğlu stated that tourist buses will stop at the Station in a short time and allow tourists to shop.

-Çelebi: “Women touched the TRNC economy”

Pointing out that the International Monetary Fund announced that the world must be touched by a woman’s hand for the economy to move forward, Executive Board member Ayşem Çelebi also stated that the TRNC economy was touched by the hand of women with the project, and that it had a great return to the economy.

Explaining that women create great added value, Çelebi said that the project is also very important for the promotion of the country.

-Şefik: “We help with product development and marketing”

Şehnaz Çehreli Şefik from the Executive Board talked about the effects of helping women in product development and marketing.

Saying that traditional handicrafts can be modernized so that they can be sold, Şefik gave examples of Lapta Handcrafts and explained that they can be applied to shirts.

“We are working to bring them to a more creative and innovative point,” said Şefik, adding that they helped them make the products in demand.