Textile Materials Support for Cucuta

The TİKA project implemented in Cucuta, a city which serves as a final destination for migrants, encompasses the development of the manufacturing processes of industrial textile machines. It also includes the enhancement of socioeconomic circumstances of women who were affected by the immigration. It will enable them to participate in social life. 

Norte de Santander, a state located in northeastern Colombia, bordering Venezuela, is a region where smuggling and illegal immigration are frequent challenges as a result of geographical conditions and security vulnerability. Political tensions between the two countries and social-economic instability in Venezuela have resulted in intense cross-border immigration. Many families are dispersed and numerous people are displaced as a result of incidents which force migrants to leave the country.

The aim of this project is to employ 15 women through a micro-entrepreneurship model. It is aimed to increase standards of living and provide the social transformation in Cucuta by increasing employment. Furthermore, this project will contribute to maintain the resolution process in areas of Colombia which are difficult to access through the people oriented approach of our country.

This project will be overseen by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, Cucuta Chamber of Commerce and TİKA. Textile machines will be donated to these women in order to help them put their knowledge into practice. This project is considered as a pilot for migrants coming from Venezuela to Colombia. 

Training of people benefiting from this project has started as of August 15 and the opening ceremony was undertaken through the participation of Carlos Luna Romero, the Chairman of Cucuta Chamber of Commerce, Jaime Rodriguez Oviedo, an official delegate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Colombia and Assoc. Prof. Mehmet Özkan, TİKA Program Coordinator based in Bogota. Coordinator Özkan added that the steps to follow the pilot project would be considered in the future in order to explore further opportunities to assist the people of the region. Those Venezuelan people who attended the ceremony expressed their pleasure to the Turkish people and government and stated that they feel very lucky as a result of this project.