'New Beginnings' Earthquake Zone Women Entrepreneurs Forum

On February 25, 2025, JICA and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization of Türkiye (KOSGEB) organized a seminar “New Beginnings' Earthquake Zone Women Entrepreneurs Forum” in Kahramanmaraş, Republic of Türkiye.

The earthquake that struck southeastern Türkiye in February 2023 impacted micro-, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the region significantly, resulting in the loss of workers, damage to factories and other buildings and equipment etc.

Since MSMEs are the pillars of the country’s economy, KOSGEB implemented “Post-earthquake Support Project for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises project” by utilizing an ODA loan from JICA to provide liquidity support to such affected enterprises. Under this project, 10 per cent of the total project cost were earmarked for women’s enterprises.

The seminar was held to share the results of needs survey conducted by JICA in November 2024 and the questionnaire survey conducted through KOSGEB(see attached file ), and to discuss how we can support women’s enterprises effectively. Furthermore, we invited two Japanese experts to share their experiences in supporting women’s enterprises in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.

By sharing the experience and recognizing the achievement and importance of women’s enterprises in Türkiye, this seminar not only empowered the women’s enterprises who have continued their businesses despite the difficulties but also provided an opportunity for all concerned institutions to widely recognize the economic and social significance of supporting women’s enterprises in the earthquake affected area.

JICA will continue to support women’s enterprises in Türkiye.