Students' support to the "Ecollectiv" project

03.07.2024

Students' support to the "Ecollectiv" project

Young people supported Ecollectiv, which Yeşim carried out at Karapınar Women's Education and Entrepreneurship Center with the slogan "Every stitch is a life, every life is a value!" in cooperation with Uludağ Soroptimist Club.

Students who participated in the "Stars of the Future" camp in Bursa Uludağ within the scope of the Access Project, carried out in partnership with the Turkish Education Association and the US Embassy in Ankara, came to Karapınar Women's Education and Entrepreneurship Center to conduct fieldwork on social responsibility. As part of the Ecollectiv project, which is based on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and contributes to the circular economy, women's employment and women's empowerment, young people had the opportunity to learn about volunteering, gender equality and sustainability.

Nearly 100 students from different provinces of Türkiye participated to the field work of the project which was also deemed worthy of the Awareness Award in the category of Women Entrepreneurs and Women's Empowerment by the Women-Friendly Brands Platform. In the organization held at Karapınar Women's Education and Entrepreneurship Center, it was aimed to evaluate textile wastes in accordance with the sustainable production perspective.

The young people who participated in the field work within the scope of the Ecollectiv project implemented by Yeşim Group in cooperation with Uludağ Soroptimist Club and Karapınar Women's Cooperative, sorted and separated Yeşim's surplus fabric scraps and strips according to their colors and made them ready for production. Karapınar women, who produce and sell various products such as ornaments, bags, pillows, baskets, bracelets and key chains with these materials, are thus both economically empowered and contribute to sustainability with products made from waste fabrics.

The program started with a speech by Gizem İskeçeli, Yeşim Group Corporate Communications Chief, who shared information about Yeşim's approach to social responsibility and the Ecollectiv project. Emine Enginçayır Kök, President of Karapınar Women's Education and Entrepreneurship Center, expressed her pleasure to be involved in the project, which aims to raise awareness about gender equality by supporting women's employment and to contribute to sustainability by evaluating waste fabrics, and thanked the guest students for being a part of the project. After the program, Ecollectiv branded handmade bags and wristbands were presented to the students.