TİKA's Support to South African Female Entrepreneurs

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) organized a week-long training program in order to increase the financial capabilities of the South African female entrepreneurs in cooperation with the Shakti Empowerment Education Foundation for Children and Women.

The training program took place in Soweto, one of the most historically symbolic places of South Africa. 10 female entrepreneurs attended the week-long training, which took place on Vilakazi Street, one of the most popular touristic areas in the country which was home to the Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela, the symbol of the fight for democracy in South Africa.

As part of the program, the female entrepreneurs were provided trainings in areas such as e-commerce, social media, product photography, product pricing, business idea development, creativity exercises, financial and legal obligations and customer relations.

The certificate ceremony, which took place at the end of the program, was attended by Elif Çomoğlu Ülgen, Ambassador of Turkey in Pretoria; Demet Işıl Karakurt, the Turkish Commercial Counsellor in Pretoria; Nefise Hacı, the Chairwoman of the South African MÜSİAD Commission for Women; and representatives from the Shakti Empowerment Education Foundation for Children and Women. 

In her speech, Jayshree Padayatchey, the Managing Director of the Shakti Empowerment Education Foundation for Children and Women, said that one of the most important topics on the country's agenda was financial support for women. Padayatchey stated that TİKA's project would set an example in this area, that the difficulties in tourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic have affected female entrepreneurs in particular, thanks to the training program, female entrepreneurs would have the opportunity to expand their business via e-commerce platforms and social media. Padayatchey also expressed her hope that the project would be repeated this year so that other female entrepreneurs could benefit from it as well.

Nefise Hacı, the Chairwomen of the South African MÜSİAD Commission for Women, stated that this project was really important to her as a female entrepreneur and that they would be glad to cooperate in projects directed towards empowering women.

Ambassador Elif Çomoğlu Ülgen, who handed out the certificates for the female entrepreneurs at the ceremony, thanked everyone who took part in carrying out this training program for women by TİKA, and stated that empowering women was equal to empowering a nation.