**21 women entrepreneurs launch their own businesses**

KAGİDEM, established to facilitate women's participation in the economy, is writing success stories through support provided to 21 new women entrepreneurs. Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank shared a video on his social media account describing the success stories written at Gaziantep Women Entrepreneur Support Center (KAGİDEM), established through a partnership of Gaziantep Chamber of Industry (GSO), İpekyolu Development Agency (İKA) and Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality. Varank said, "Our development vision from local to global is bearing fruit. KAGİDEM, which we pioneered, supports women entrepreneurs in Gaziantep. Courageous women who became their own business owners and started exporting are making us proud with their success stories."

Centers Dedicated to Women Entrepreneurs

Operating under the Ministry of Industry and Technology, İpekyolu Development Agency (İKA), Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality and Gaziantep Chamber of Industry joined forces. They established KAGİDEM to provide solutions to the economic difficulties faced by women seeking to enter the job market as entrepreneurs in Gaziantep, particularly during the business setup stage. At KAGİDEM, which provides services such as workspace, training and consulting to 21 women seeking to realize their business ideas, products including shoe last production, cologne, candles, ceramics, Turkish delight, wooden gift boxes, carpets and children's clothing are manufactured. As women entrepreneurs' businesses have begun exporting, mentoring and market-oriented export training continue.

"TRY 5.5 Million Investment"

İKA Secretary General Burhan Akyılmaz stated that they implemented the center with approximately TRY 5.5 million investment, saying: "Among our entrepreneurs are women who have never made a sale in their lives or engaged in commerce. With this project, we have established an important infrastructure that strengthens the entrepreneurship ecosystem in our region among women." Belkıs Çağlar, 58 years old and owner of a shoe last workshop, stated that she learned the shoe last profession at this age: "I raised and married three children. I have 5 grandchildren and raised them too. After raising them, rather than sitting idle, I wanted to acquire a profession and engage in work. I learned to make work shoe lasts at 58 years old. Together with my mentor, I am trying to teach other women and make them business and profession owners."

Dreams Come True

Derya Fesligil, a börek manufacturer who exports to European countries, said: "I sell to hospital and school cafeterias and frozen sections of large supermarkets. I ship to Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. It never even crossed my mind. Now I am exporting internationally."