patronlardunyasi.com / Samandağ Gastronomy Village To Bring Hope To Women In The Hatay Region

Oxfam KEDV and Mey|Diageo have joined forces to revive the Gastronomy Village in Hatay Samandağ, which was damaged by the earthquake. Efforts are underway to transform the village into a tourism destination led by women. Training programs for women have begun, and the village is expected to become operational in October. Mey|Diageo General Manager Bahar Uçanlar stated, "We will support the project until it becomes self-sustaining."

After the devastating earthquake that shook Türkiye on February 6, I dedicated my column in the Nasıl Bir Ekonomi newspaper for months to writing about the needs and support requests in the region. My aim was to highlight the damage to the commercial life in the area while also encouraging more helping hands to reach out.

Supporting Local Initiatives

Among the initiatives I highlighted were the Samandağ Women's Initiative Cooperative and the Samandağ District Center and Neighborhoods Agricultural Development Cooperative in Samandağ, one of the places most affected by the earthquake. These cooperatives, established under the Samandağ Municipality to revive collective consciousness in the production sector, are supported by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) in Türkiye. Women members of the Agricultural Development Cooperative produced olive oil, pomegranate syrup, pepper bread, stuffed meatballs, laurel soap, and silk products. A product unique to Samandağ, "Love Jam," made from local peppers, was set to be branded and introduced to all of Türkiye. Unfortunately, everything related to the cooperative was lost in the earthquake. With 90% of the district's population having migrated, the cooperative members dispersed. Amidst the fresh pain of the earthquake, I had an emotional conversation with Atiye Sönmez Erdoğdu, one of the founders of both cooperatives, discussing the state of the cooperatives and the uncertain future of Türkiye’s first gastronomy village in Samandağ.

During our conversation, Atiye Sönmez Erdoğdu asked for support for the gastronomy village project, which was planned to open in April if the earthquake hadn't happened. I periodically contacted her to learn about the developments in the region. Finally, in July last year, she gave the good news. She said my article had been very helpful, and that the Foundation for the Support of Women's Work (Oxfam KEDV) had extended a helping hand to them, and they would continue the journey together.

A Press Conference with a Positive Update

Yesterday, I attended a press conference about the gastronomy village, where I felt a sense of personal contribution. Oxfam KEDV and Mey|Diageo have joined forces for the Samandağ Gastronomy Village, which spans approximately 20 acres with structures suitable for education, accommodation, and restaurant facilities, as well as spaces for gardening. The two organizations began working to transform Hatay’s severely damaged Samandağ district into a tourism destination led by women. The initial steps have been taken for a long-term, sustainable project that will revive and enrich the gastronomy village, rented from the municipality by the Samandağ Women's Cooperative and damaged in the earthquake. The aim is to train and employ local women through the Learning For Life program, preserve and document the region’s traditional gastronomic culture and flavours, and pass them on to future generations.

Learning For Life Program at the Gastronomy Village

At the Samandağ Gastronomy Village, courses approved by the Ministry of National Education and universities are offered in gastronomy and tourism. Training began in May 2024 with about 40 students and reached approximately 100 women with the second term in June 2024. Women from the entire region, not just Samandağ, can participate in the training. Initially, an average of 50 women will be trained each month, with a goal to increase this number to 100 in the future.

Selling Local Products

Oxfam KEDV Chair Şengül Akçar stated, “The earthquakes left many people, especially women, unemployed in the region. During our work in the area, we came across the gastronomy village belonging to the Samandağ Women's Cooperative, which includes the Samandağ Municipality among its stakeholders. It was in a damaged state. After gaining the support of the cooperative and the municipality, we took steps to revitalize the gastronomy village in partnership with Mey|Diageo, whose expertise in gastronomy and tourism we trust.”

Akçar noted that the project is nearing completion and that they aim to open the village in October 2024. She continued, “Initially, we will complete the areas for practical and theoretical training and open a restaurant for service. Finally, we aim to activate the units for hosting guests. Visitors to Samandağ will be able to stay in these units within the village. We believe this aspect of the project will also contribute to tourism. Additionally, we plan to open a shop where local products made by the women will be sold. These incomes will be directly transferred to the village’s operating fund. We hope that the village will become self-sustaining in the future with the participation of skilled women.”

Bahar Uçanlar: We Will Support Until The Project Can Sustain Itself

Mey|Diageo General Manager Bahar Uçanlar expressed great satisfaction with the project's multiple areas and long-term benefits.

She stated, “In the aftermath of the earthquakes, we thought deeply with our leadership team about how we could further support the reintegration of local women into social life and help them become productive individuals. We learned that Oxfam KEDV was interested in a gastronomy village, initially built by the Samandağ Women's Cooperative but damaged. We saw that the village provided a suitable platform for implementing Diageo Global’s Learning For Life program in Türkiye. We decided to partner with Oxfam KEDV to revive the village. Oxfam KEDV knows the region and its people well and adapted the program to the local context with their experience. We are doing everything we can to complete the construction process swiftly, although heavy rains and extreme heat have caused some delays. But we were eager to start life in the region as soon as possible. We started the training even before fully launching the village because we believed it would benefit women both physically and morally. We hope that the women who participate will easily find jobs in nearby businesses.”

Uçanlar emphasized that they are not looking at the budget for this project and will do whatever is necessary. “As Mey|Diageo, we will continue to support the project until it becomes self-sustaining. We aim to turn this place into a tourism centre and make a sustainable difference in the region,” she said.

Support from the Mayor

Samandağ Mayor Emrah Karaçay thanked Oxfam KEDV and Mey|Diageo for supporting a project that was deemed unlikely to be revived after the earthquake. Karaçay stated, “This shows that there will be many useful efforts in Samandağ, which will set a new example for the region and add value to our district’s economy. I thank Samandağ Women's Cooperative, Oxfam KEDV, and Mey|Diageo for introducing us to this project. I promise that as the municipality, we will provide all necessary support to ensure our gastronomy village becomes operational as soon as possible.”

For more: https://www.patronlardunyasi.com/samandag-gastronomi-koyunu-ayaga-kaldirip-kadinlara-umut-olacaklar