Women’s Economic Power Grows with “KADEM KooPro”

The Women and Democracy Foundation (KADEM) has launched the Women’s Cooperatives Empowerment and Coordination Center Project (KooPro) to help women’s cooperatives overcome challenges and achieve long-term, sustainable success.

Operating under the principle of “equality in existence, justice in responsibility,” The Women and Democracy Foundation (KADEM) has taken a significant step toward supporting women’s economic empowerment by implementing the Women’s Cooperatives Empowerment and Coordination Center Project (KooPro) project. The project’s inaugural activity, a Training Camp, was held on January 11–12, 2025, at the Sheraton Grand Istanbul Ataşehir, bringing together representatives from over 15 women’s cooperatives from across Türkiye. The event was attended by KADEM Vice Chair of the Board Atty. Canan Sarı; Industry and Technology Specialist Hüseyin Ulubeyli from the General Directorate of Development Agencies; Meryem Bihin Dikici, Head of Corporate Marketing at the project sponsor Vakıf Katılım; and, Duygu Çavdar, Head of Sustainability and Social Impact at project partner Hepsiburada, alongside cooperative representatives.

Atty. Canan Sarı emphasized that KooPro aims to increase the institutional capacities of women’s cooperatives, make them competitive in the market, and integrate them into broader business networks. She stated:

“With this project, we aim not only to provide women with economic contributions but also to establish a sustainable system where they can grow through solidarity. Supporting and expanding women’s cooperatives is a major focus for KADEM. Many cooperatives across Türkiye face difficulties in sustainability, struggling with capital shortages, lack of support, and social barriers during both establishment and operation. It is crucial to support women—especially in terms of education, tools and equipment, sales, marketing, and finance.

KooPro is designed to meet these exact needs. We sought answers to questions like: how can we build their capacity? How can we make them competitive in the market? How can we offer real support? Our goal is not just to support, but to be an active part of the solution.”

Att. Canan Sarı also noted that under KooPro, KADEM will establish a Coordination Center specifically for women’s cooperatives to support a more professional operational structure. KADEM will provide comprehensive support, from training and consultancy services to strategies for market access and financial aid. She continued:

“With KooPro, we are embarking on a long journey where new success stories will be written together. We hope this journey—strengthening the labor and solidarity of women—will yield positive outcomes for all. Our project is structured around supporting women in cooperative activities in areas such as product development, quality control, market access, digitalization, accreditation, certification, sales and marketing, market positioning, sustainability, and institutionalization. The interest and motivation we witnessed during the Training Camp reaffirmed our belief in women’s potential. We believe the outcomes of this camp will empower cooperatives to step into a stronger future.”

During the opening of the training program, Meryem Bihin Dikici, Head of Corporate Marketing at Vakıf Katılım, stated:

“Women entrepreneurs are not only producers—they are transformative actors of the economy.

On this challenging path, we aim to amplify the voices of women’s cooperatives by offering them the training and joint marketing support they need. Women’s cooperatives are powerful tools of not only economic, but also social solidarity. We are here to help grow this solidarity, increase trust in women’s labor, and help bring their dreams closer to reality.”

Duygu Çavdar, Head of Sustainability and Social Impact at Hepsiburada, opened her remarks by expressing her pride in partnering with KADEM and supporting KooPro:

“We believe the growth and development of women’s cooperatives is crucial—not only for local development but also for broader social progress. Their success stories also serve as inspiration and role models for women and girls in their communities.”

Throughout the KooPro Training Camp, participants received comprehensive instruction on topics such as cooperative accounting practices, digital marketing, e-commerce and entrepreneurship, use of digital tools, practical product photography, legal processes, cooperative awareness, and brand value.

KooPro’s target groups include selected women’s production cooperatives in pilot provinces, women entrepreneurs, civil society organizations, and private sector institutions (such as buyers, marketplaces, and logistics/certification partners). The training program delivers strategic insights to help cooperatives market their products competitively, complete branding processes, and build sustainable structures.

KooPro offers a wide range of support, including product consultancy, certification, collaboration with buyers and sellers, joint marketing activities, institutionalization training, grants, and solidarity events. The project aims to support 10 cooperatives during the pilot phase and more than 50 across Türkiye during its expansion phase—paving the way for women’s cooperatives to develop sustainable business models.