Through this project, the Soroptimists from Türkiye sought to strengthen environmental education at grassroots level by training women community leaders who are in daily contact with thousands of residents across their neighbourhoods.
Implemented in partnership with the Tepebaşı Municipality, the project brought together 20 female mukhtars from the Tepebaşı region. In Türkiye, mukhtars serve as the first point of contact between local authorities and citizens, making them powerful agents for community awareness and behavioural change. Collectively, the participating mukhtars represent neighbourhoods with a population of approximately 169,000 people.
The initiative was developed by the Turkish Union’s Sustainable Environment and Women’s Working Group, which identified female mukhtars as strategic multipliers capable of spreading environmental knowledge directly within households and communities. The project focused particularly on practical environmental actions, including the importance of separating household waste from recyclable materials and encouraging more sustainable daily habits.
The training sessions also introduced participants to Soroptimist values and highlighted the role women can play in advancing environmental sustainability at local level. According to evaluation forms completed after the workshops, the programme succeeded in significantly increasing participants’ environmental awareness and motivation to share this knowledge more widely.
Beyond the educational component, the project also created opportunities for intergenerational collaboration and community engagement. The programme included two creative workshops organised with the support of students from Eskişehir Technical University. During a ceramic workshop, participants created and painted decorative objects that were later sold at the New Year Charity Bazaar of SI Eskişehir to support scholarship funds. A second workshop, led by chemical engineering students, introduced participants to perfume creation techniques.
The project demonstrates how environmental sustainability can be promoted through local leadership, partnerships and women-led community action. By empowering female mukhtars with knowledge and practical tools, the Soroptimists from Türkiye are helping environmental awareness reach far beyond the training room and into everyday community life.
By Bintou Koïta,
Senior Programme Officer (SIE HQ)