Factory Visit by Beneficiaries of Shoe-Upping Course At SADA Women Development And Solidarity Centre
The beneficiaries of the shoe-upping workshop under the Project “Strengthening the Resilience of Syrian Women and Girls” being implemented UN Women, with ILO and ASAM as implementing partners, visited the factories at Gaziantep Shoe-makers Industry Site on 9 May 2019.
10 May 2019
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The visiting delegation of 15 women including 11 Syrian and 4 Turkish citizens was hosted by Mr. Mehmet Emin Ince, President of Gaziantep Chamber of Shoe-makers. The visitors, who were members of the shoe-upping workshop of SADA Women’s Cooperative and trainees of the shoe-upping course, had the opportunity to see all phases of shoe-making in the 4 factories visited.
The event started with visiting the Chamber President Mehmet Emin Ince at his office, where he provided information on the industry site and works, and women had a chance to see the manufactured shoes.
Mr. Ince informed that the industry site boasted 300 Syrian firms, and 2 Syrian business owners sat at the Administration Board of Gaziantep Chamber of Shoe-makers. Stressing the need for qualified women labour in the shoe-making sector,
Mr. Ince noted the importance of the shoe-upping course to meet the sector’s needs and offer new job opportunities for women.
During the visit, Klas Taban ve Ayakkabıcılık (Klas Sole and Shoe-making) factory was the first stop where women took a guided tour of the shoe-making workshop to examine the production process. Next stop was Baran Ayakkabıcılık (Baran Shoe-making) factory and its shoe-upping workshop installed at a separate site. Having earlier exercises in the shoe-upping workshop, women had the opportunity to sit at the production benches and try their first manufacture of shoe-ups.
They chatted with a Syrian women designer at the factory who informed them on shoe design and working life. Expressing their excitement in seeing women work at the shoe factory, beneficiaries said: “Once we saw women work here, we had more desire to work. We got ambitious to work like them, and wanted to do better. We believe that a woman’s touch on the shoe will make a difference.”
Visitors then stopped at Büşra Kadın Ayakkabı Üretim (Büşra Women’s Shoes Production) factor and shoe-upping workshop. Mahir Şehali, Syrian partner of the enterprise, congratulated the women and stated his belief in women’s success in the shoe-upping sector. Şehali further expressed that he wanted to closely see and support the work of SADA Women’s Cooperative, and visit the shoe-upping course to see the products. Visitors toured the production floor, shoe-upping workshop, product display sections of the factory, and examined both production work and products. A Syrian beneficiary voiced her happiness for the presence of Syrians in the shoe-making sector stating that “It is nice that Syrians and Turks cooperate. We are happy that Turkish and Syrian workers jointly manufacture shoes.” Another beneficiary woman noted that she was encouraged and proud by the words of Turkish employees and enterprise owners on the success of Syrians in the shoe-making sector. Noting that there was no discrimination between Syrians and Turks, women stated that “everyone appreciated the work of others” and they were happy that all worked in peace.
Women finally toured the shoe-upping section of Rojab Ayakkabı İmalat Sanayi Atölyesi (Rojab Shoe-making Industry Workshop), a Syrian-owned company, where they saw Syrian and Turkish shoe-upping masters at work and asked questions. The visit was concluded by a group photograph taken with Mr. Mehmet Emin Ince, President of Gaziantep Chamber of Shoe-makers.
The event started with visiting the Chamber President Mehmet Emin Ince at his office, where he provided information on the industry site and works, and women had a chance to see the manufactured shoes.
Mr. Ince informed that the industry site boasted 300 Syrian firms, and 2 Syrian business owners sat at the Administration Board of Gaziantep Chamber of Shoe-makers. Stressing the need for qualified women labour in the shoe-making sector,
Mr. Ince noted the importance of the shoe-upping course to meet the sector’s needs and offer new job opportunities for women.
During the visit, Klas Taban ve Ayakkabıcılık (Klas Sole and Shoe-making) factory was the first stop where women took a guided tour of the shoe-making workshop to examine the production process. Next stop was Baran Ayakkabıcılık (Baran Shoe-making) factory and its shoe-upping workshop installed at a separate site. Having earlier exercises in the shoe-upping workshop, women had the opportunity to sit at the production benches and try their first manufacture of shoe-ups.
They chatted with a Syrian women designer at the factory who informed them on shoe design and working life. Expressing their excitement in seeing women work at the shoe factory, beneficiaries said: “Once we saw women work here, we had more desire to work. We got ambitious to work like them, and wanted to do better. We believe that a woman’s touch on the shoe will make a difference.”
Visitors then stopped at Büşra Kadın Ayakkabı Üretim (Büşra Women’s Shoes Production) factor and shoe-upping workshop. Mahir Şehali, Syrian partner of the enterprise, congratulated the women and stated his belief in women’s success in the shoe-upping sector. Şehali further expressed that he wanted to closely see and support the work of SADA Women’s Cooperative, and visit the shoe-upping course to see the products. Visitors toured the production floor, shoe-upping workshop, product display sections of the factory, and examined both production work and products. A Syrian beneficiary voiced her happiness for the presence of Syrians in the shoe-making sector stating that “It is nice that Syrians and Turks cooperate. We are happy that Turkish and Syrian workers jointly manufacture shoes.” Another beneficiary woman noted that she was encouraged and proud by the words of Turkish employees and enterprise owners on the success of Syrians in the shoe-making sector. Noting that there was no discrimination between Syrians and Turks, women stated that “everyone appreciated the work of others” and they were happy that all worked in peace.
Women finally toured the shoe-upping section of Rojab Ayakkabı İmalat Sanayi Atölyesi (Rojab Shoe-making Industry Workshop), a Syrian-owned company, where they saw Syrian and Turkish shoe-upping masters at work and asked questions. The visit was concluded by a group photograph taken with Mr. Mehmet Emin Ince, President of Gaziantep Chamber of Shoe-makers.