Ferzan Özyaşar is Vice Coordinator, Project Manager and Sociologist at the Seyhan Municipality in Adana, Türkiye. In this role, she advises on the strategic plan for public relations and women’s empowerment and develops and conducts social projects and capacity building trainings in cooperation with governmental institutions, private sector companies and NGOs. Ferzan has more than 20 years of experience as a sociologist and is passionate about contributing to social change through film production, research and social projects on media-politics, freedom of speech, and gender equality. 

IVLP Impact Award Project: Reveal Your Potential 

The project strengthens women’s entrepreneurship by improving cooperation between individual entrepreneurs and Turkish NGOs and cooperatives. Through a one-day workshop and a two-day capacity building training, the capacity will be increased for 15 women entrepreneurs who are in the initial stages of entrepreneurship and in need of a road map for their businesses. Participants will be provided professional business development counseling that strengthens their competitive capacity and develops profitable cooperation strategies with already established women's cooperatives and NGO's.  

The project began in September when Ferzan, in partnership with the Housewives Solidarity and Development Association, selected 15 women entrepreneurs to participate in the project trainings. She also plans to reach out to local women’s cooperatives and NGOs to join. Before the first workshop in October, Ferzan and her partners plan to share a pre-assessment with the participants to better inform the content of the training and tailor it more specifically to the group.

“We have to find creative ways to increase solidarity from a rights-based perspective.” – Ferzan Özyaşar 

IVLP Exchange Experience   

Ferzan participated in the IVLP Project: Human and Civil Rights for Marginalized Communities II organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center, in partnership with WorldBoston, International House, Tulsa Global Alliance, and World Affairs Council – Seattle.  

Ferzan’s exchange experience led to the development of her project: “Our [IVLP] meeting with Mason Dunn from the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce in Boston… made me understand the importance of solidarity with the NGOs and the strong actors of the private sector for the strengthening of the individual entrepreneurs especially in the initial stages of their business activities.” 

U.S. Communities Visited   

Washington DC; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Tulsa, OK; Seattle, WA 

Country: Türkiye 

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