Emine Erdoğan, wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, attended the 'Trainee and Graduation Meeting' program held in Istanbul as part of the 'Education and Vocational Workshops' project carried out in the earthquake zone by the Şule Yüksel Şenler Foundation.
PERMANENT SOLUTIONS PRODUCED IN THE EARTHQUAKE ZONE Speaking here, Erdoğan said that the Şule Yüksel Şenler Foundation has worked with great dedication in the field after the February 6 earthquakes, not only meeting immediate needs but also producing permanent solutions to rapidly restore life.
Erdoğan stated that the foundation also acts with the belief that sustainable recovery is only possible through education, production, and qualified employment, and explained that the foundation has implemented the 'Let My Work Be My Strength Project' in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, TOKİ, and AFAD. Emine Erdoğan said, 'The foundation started work in 2023 by establishing 6 textile and 1 hairdressing workshop in container cities.
Today, a total of 32 of our workshops, including 17 textile and 15 hairdressing workshops operating in all 11 of our provinces affected by the earthquake, continue to provide training to our women.'
Noting that stories of holding onto life again and turning dreams into reality are written in each workshop, Erdoğan conveyed that trainees who successfully completed the approximately 7-month training process have earned the right to receive a master craftsman certificate.
GRADUATES TO BE INTEGRATED INTO EMPLOYMENT Erdoğan reported that she learned a cooperation protocol was signed between the Ministry of Labor and Social Security and the foundation before the program, and that graduates will be employed under the 'Workforce Adaptation Program'. 'Graduates will earn income by producing for the public good on one hand, and on the other hand, they will continue to develop their professional skills.
Furthermore, during the program period, İŞKUR will carry out work to integrate trainees into permanent employment. I would like to state that I find this development extremely valuable. The fact that a journey that began with education is crowned with employment is an indicator of how meticulously this project has been handled.' she evaluated.
Emine Erdoğan stated that three years have passed since the February 6 earthquakes, and commemorated the 53,397 people who lost their lives in the 'Disaster of the Century' with mercy. 'May God not test our nation with such severe trials again, and may He protect our country from all kinds of disasters.' said Erdoğan, adding that these earthquakes are etched in memory as one of the heaviest disasters in history.
Emine Erdoğan expressed that she knows this great pain remains fresh in everyone's soul, saying, 'However, we believe that the world is a place of trial. Therefore, not to fall into despair and not to give up the struggle even in our most difficult times is a responsibility our faith places upon us. Indeed, we all witnessed together the century's solidarity, born like a phoenix from within the Disaster of the Century.
We once again showed that we are a nation that can stand up again under all conditions and turn its face to the future with hope.' she said. DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING FOR WOMEN Quoting Sezai Karakoç's expression 'We are horses that keep running even after the race is over.', Erdoğan said, 'If we have been able to stand tall as a nation in the face of history's harsh winds until today, we owe this to our faith and values.
In our civilizational vision, sheltering those in distress, working for the permanence of society, and seeking opportunities to do good are an existential purpose. This has given rise to a rare culture of benevolence. Our foundation is also a strong representative of this tradition.'
Emine Erdoğan stated the following: 'Disasters are long-term crises that disrupt social and economic life and inflict deep wounds on the social psychology. Unfortunately, women and children often experience the effects of disasters more severely. During disaster processes, women's care burden increases, and if they lose their spouses, the responsibility of providing for the household largely falls on their shoulders.
Therefore, women's participation in economic life is of great importance in the post-disaster recovery period. With this awareness, our foundation will support the opening of 50 workplaces within 2 years for our sisters who graduate from our workshops and wish to establish their own businesses. Under the Family Support Program, they will help meet the needs of the workplaces such as rent, renovation, machinery, equipment, and materials.
Additionally, by providing training in areas such as business management and digital literacy, they will enable women to gain professional competence.
' Erdoğan drew attention to her belief that this large-scale initiative, extending from vocational training to opening businesses, will make significant contributions both to the welfare of families and to the revitalization of the regional economy, and emphasized the importance of the critical role women undertake in returning life to normal after a disaster.
THREE GOALS: DEVELOPMENT, TRANSFORMATION, AND PROSPERITY Erdoğan underlined that they wholeheartedly believe in the formula 'Strong woman, strong family, strong Turkey', saying, 'We think that supporting women in family life and opening their paths in education and work life has three very important outcomes. The first of these is economic development, the second is social transformation, and the third is a prosperous future.
Therefore, the workshops we established in the earthquake zone are the product of a vision much greater than just providing vocational training.' she evaluated. Addressing the trainees in her speech, Erdoğan said, 'You have really been through very difficult days. But remember that we shared the pain, losses, and troubles you experienced as a nation. Just as we shed tears together, we have bandaged the wounds together, and God willing, we will continue to do so.
My request from you is to embrace the knowledge and skills you have acquired in these workshops and reflect what you have learned in your life and profession. I wholeheartedly believe that you will achieve every goal you set your mind to.' she said.
VISITED THE EXHIBITION AREA At the program where the promotional film 'You Are Not Alone' was screened, Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan, Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin, and Şule Yüksel Şenler Foundation Board of Trustees President and AK Party Deputy Group Chair Leyla Şahin Usta also made speeches.
Following the screening of the documentary titled 'Your Story' at the program, a plaque was presented to Meryem Gümüş from the Antakya Nedime Keser Public Education Center on behalf of the trainees participating in the workshops in the earthquake zone. The program ended with a family photo shoot.
Emine Erdoğan also toured the exhibition area titled 'With the Inspiration of Şule Yüksel Şenler' together with Minister Tekin and his wife, Minister Işıkhan and his wife, Leyla Şahin Usta, Chairman of the Turkish Grand National Assembly National Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Commission and AK Party Eskişehir Deputy Ayşen Gürcan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's wife Nuran Fidan, Bahçelievler Mayor Hakan Bahadır, and members of the foundation's board of directors.
