“I started my own business”: how EU-funded project supports entrepreneurship in Türkiye
If you think that coffee is made from coffee beans, think harder. Because Hala Mouslem, a Syrian woman living in Gaziantep, produces date-seed coffee! She has received training at the Gaziantep Gastronomy Academy supported by the Local Support Programmes for Common Use Facilities Grant Scheme as a part of the EU-funded ENHANCER Project (which stands for Enhancement of Entrepreneurship Capacities for Sustainable Socio-Economic Integration). Now, she markets her coffee on social media.
“My father used to be occupied with herbs and seeds. I decided to do what my father was doing. After training, I started my own business producing date-seed coffee,” she says.
Diana Arour, the entrepreneur living from Gaziantep, used to work in a laboratory: “I moved here from Halep 10 years ago. I had food training at the Gaziantep Gastronomy Academy. Now, I produce and sell biscuits, desserts and meals through social media.”
New entrepreneurs from Gaziantep
Skills that benefiting all society
The local host communities directly benefit from the programme. Gül Yavuz is one of them. She says: “We trained in entrepreneurship, food, marketing, and e-commerce within the scope of the project. I produce and sell gluten-free food.”
Dilek Özada, the other beneficiary, reflects: “We had food training at the Gaziantep Gastronomy Academy. We continue with our projects. I produce and sell sour sauces, tomato paste and chilli flakes through social media.”
The Gastronomy Academy was founded in 2022 by the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce, one of the programme's beneficiaries. “We selected the entrepreneurs and gave them training. Then, we provided consultancy services on e-commerce, funding sources, law, health, and finances to those who completed the course,” says Mila Yıldırım, the ENHANCER Project Manager at the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce.
New entrepreneurs from Şanlıurfa
“I sell what I produce”
Şanlıurfa Viranşehir Municipality, the programme's other beneficiary, gives training in sewing and shoemaking at the local Entrepreneurship and Incubation Centre. İlham Müslüm, one of the entrepreneurs who have applied business ideas thanks to the programme, says: “I’m from Syria, and I’ve been living in Viranşehir for 11 years. I had training in sewing, computer, and entrepreneurship. Now, I sell what I produce.”
Dilber Aydoğan, the sewing trainer, is satisfied helping the trainees with production and marketing. Sultan Ülak, the other sewing trainer, says: “The training system is really good here. They sell what they produce.” Murat Demirtaş, shoemaking trainer, reflects: “I am a shoemaker in Viranşehir. I have 45 trainees in this project. It is useful because everybody has a profession at the end of the courses.”
Improving living standards for all
Pınar Yapanoğlu, the Portfolio Manager of International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) Western Balkans and Türkiye Office, says that these centres provided training to entrepreneurs within the scope of the €12 million grant programme under the ENHANCER Project.
Ambassador with entrepreneurs
According to the Head of the European Union Delegation to Türkiye, Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, who visited these courses in October 2023, “supporting entrepreneurs is crucial for improving livelihoods and living standard in Türkiye. For the ENHANCER programme, which includes many projects, the EU has contributed €35 million.”
The Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Institution Grants Programme and Local Support Programmes for Common Use Facilities Grant Programme have been running in Şanlıurfa and Gaziantep, a part of the ENHANCER Project that also runs in İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Bursa, Adana, Mersin, Konya, Kayseri and Hatay. It is implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Technology and Development Agencies. Over 5,500 people have received entrepreneurship training with EU support. A quarter of all beneficiaries were Turkish people.
