Human-Centered Development
Social Entrepreneurship, Empowerment and Cohesion Project Notes || August 2025
Where does development begin? On a paved road, in the walls of a building, or in the figures of an investment? In fact, the most solid foundation of development is the human being.
When we look at the world’s strongest economies today, we also see the countries with the highest social welfare. Because development is not only brought to life through tables, reports, or large-scale investments, but also in a child’s educational journey, in a young person’s first encounter with production, in a woman’s entrepreneurial dream, and in the collective efforts of a community.
For us, development begins with investment in human potential, grows with hope and trust, and is strengthened through social transformation. Real transformation can only sprout when it touches people.
The destination that development seeks and the starting point from which it departs are the same: human potential.
For SEECO, people are at the heart of the journey of development. This journey aims to transform individual strength into collective potential and to build a more just and sustainable future together.
What Happened in the Field in August?
We Participated in the Local and Rural Development Program
To explore the human-centered dimensions of local and rural development in depth, we took part in the Local and Rural Development Expertise Training Certificate Program at Özyeğin University.
During the five-day program, the role of rural development in national and regional development plans, the support ecosystems required for strong cooperatives, and the role of social networks in social transformation were discussed.
The program once again reminded us that rural development is not just a strategy or a plan; it is a process that comes to life through solidarity, collective production, and social empowerment.
We Met with Trendyol and Little Yucca in Inspiring Entrepreneurial Gatherings
The online gatherings of the Social Heroes Community, which we established under the SEECO Project so that supported entrepreneurs and beneficiary institutions can stay informed about important updates, continue.
In these events, members of the SEECO community come together with entrepreneurs from different sectors, listening to their entrepreneurial journeys and directly asking their questions. This month, we met with İlkcan Soluk, Sales and Business Development Specialist at Trendyol, and Seray Cengiz Sezer, founder of Little Yucca.
In the first two sessions organized with Trendyol, we discussed e-commerce and micro-export, while with Little Yucca, we focused on the needs of textile enterprises.
News from the Centers
Diyarbakır: Ornamental Stones Entrepreneurship Center
Within the scope of the Diyarbakır Ornamental Stones Processing Social Entrepreneurship Center Project, the Diyarbakır Institute of Advanced Handicrafts opened the Ornamental Stones Entrepreneurship Center in an annex building in Sur district.
At the center, visitors are introduced to the features of ornamental stones and can view specially designed products made from them. The goal is to provide employment opportunities for women and enable them to transform local ornamental stones into economic value through their craftsmanship and creativity.
Diyarbakır: Textile-Oriented Social Entrepreneurship Center
The center provides participants with various vocational trainings needed in the textile sector, as well as business and mentoring support, helping them to integrate more effectively into the business world. Projects and activities carried out at the center also aim to raise social awareness and increase sustainable employment.
Diyarbakır: Social Entrepreneurship Center
With a younger and more dynamic population than the national average, Diyarbakır has launched the Social Entrepreneurship Center to foster a culture of social entrepreneurship, create new job opportunities, and train a qualified workforce in fields shaped by technological advancements. Established under the GAP Regional Development Administration, the center operates in a 250-square-meter facility. It offers training in digital marketing and entrepreneurship for women and young entrepreneurs, contributing to employment.
Hatay: Antakya Livelihood Facility – Narlıca Neighborhood Market
Within the scope of the Post-Disaster Open Market Project, from which Antakya Municipality is a beneficiary, vendors have started selling at a facility consisting of 150 market stalls. In this space, women also bring their agricultural products and value-added local goods directly to consumers.
The sustainability of the market will be ensured through women’s cooperatives to be established as part of the project. In addition, capacity-building trainings for women will be organized in cooperation with Antakya Municipality and the Public Education Center. Implemented with the participation of local governments, NGOs, and professional chambers, this project aims to provide lasting social and economic contributions to the post-disaster reconstruction process.
Mardin: Agricultural Technologies Shared Use Center and Ecological Agriculture School Project
Implemented by the Dicle Development Agency and Ömerli District Directorate of Agriculture, this project aims to increase access for small-scale farmers and persons under temporary protection to modern agricultural techniques, improve their skills in using agricultural machinery and equipment, and eliminate the barrier of mechanization caused by insufficient capital and small plot sizes.
The project, which enables farmers to use modern agricultural tools, also contributes to bringing idle lands back into production.
With every new training, experience, and value created, we are reminded once again that development truly comes to life when it touches people.
At SEECO, we believe that unlocking human potential is the strongest key to social transformation. The small steps we take together turn into significant changes that shape the future.