Konya (ILO News) – Mr. Numan Özcan, Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Office for Turkey, and His Excellency Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, Head of European Union Delegation to Turkey, paid field visits to Konya for on-site review of activities under “Opportunities for Lives Project” implemented, with EU funding, by the ILO Office for Turkey and Directorate-General for International Labour Force (DGILF) of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MoLSS).

Mr. Özcan and Ambassador Meyer-Landrut met with project beneficiaries at their visit to Konya to review on site the project activities for Syrians under temporary protection (SuTPs) and Turkish citizens. Their first stop was the shoe-manufacturing workshop established with entrepreneurship support under the project, then they visited Innopark Konya Technology Development Zone, one of the local implementing agencies of the project. The high-level delegation participated in a round-table here to meet with and hear the experience of persons who received vocational training, were placed in jobs and benefitted from entrepreneurship support under the Opportunities for Lives Project. Özcan and Meyer-Landrut then exchanged views on the current problems faced by Syrians in the labour markets.

Mr. Özcan’s programme continued with a visit to Konya Chamber of Furniture Manufacturers, the local business partner of the project. Mr. Özcan and accompanying Project Team visited Mr. Mehmet Günbaş, President of the Chamber, received information from him on their work, and reviewed the training workshop established with ILO support. They examined wooden toys of “Avuncuk” brand established through the infrastructure built at the Vocational Training Centre under the project. The visit also included exchange of views on the successful cooperation and future actions and work.

Mr. Mehmet Günbaş, President of the Chamber, thanked Director Özcan and Project Team for their visit and leading work that culminated in the creation of a large Vocational Training Centre through ILO partnership and EU funding that commenced four years ago.

About Opportunities for Lives Project

The "Opportunities for Lives Project" is financed by the European Union (EU) and jointly implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Office for Turkey and Directorate-General for International Labour Force (DGILF) of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MoLSS) in the Provinces of Ankara, Istanbul, Bursa, Konya, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Adana, Mersin and Hatay to economically and socially empower, and enhance the resilience of Syrians under Temporary Protection (SuTPs) and host communities in Turkey.