The first training course as part of "Aktif (Active) Women in Economy", a project launched by Aktif Bank and supporting low-income women by means of microfinance and training in their journey to entrepreneurship is now completed in Mardin.  

As part of the project, called "Aktif (Active) Women in Economy" and implemented by Aktif Bank, the largest privately-owned investment bank in Turkey, by acting in cooperation with the Turkish Grameen Micro-Finance Program and Experian, 35 woman entrepreneurs met in Mardin within the framework of the "Steer Your Financial Future" trainings.  

Yilmaz remarked; "We are standing by micro-entrepreneur women thanks to our impact investing project"

Stating that they have provided one thousand 366 low-income woman entrepreneurs with micro-loans, amounting to a total of 2 million 732 thousand TRY, up to the present upon the launch of the project,  Pinar Yilmaz, Aktif Bank's Retail Banking Managing Director, said; "We, as Aktif Bank, are committed to the value of gender equality in every aspect of life.  As based on such consciousness, we addressed to "impact investing" for the gender mainstreaming that is one of the most fundamental components of a sustainable economy, and launched the project, namely "Aktif (Active) Women in Economy". Accordingly, we are committed to bringing the low-income micro-entrepreneur women, who are not involved in the banking system, to the financial system and economy.  By means of our project, we are supporting the micro-entrepreneur women not only in generation of sustainable income but also in their journey to entrepreneurship. Today, we feel delighted to have met 35 entrepreneur women in Mardin, a so beautiful city, as part of the "Steer Your Financial Future" trainings.  I would like to express thanks to the esteemed executives of Experian with which we act in cooperation for such trainings".

Mumin: "We are providing the training support to enable the women to enhance their ratings".

Stating that they have formalized the project "Steer Your Financial Future" on March 8 of the last year, Samile Mumin, the General Manager of Experian Turkey, said; "Our main role in the project is to enable the women, who will be able to reach financial services by means of this project, to enhance their ratings and to enable them to access to loans in the long-term as well, and to provide them with the training support to enable them to enhance their ratings, by improving their financial literacy. Such training is being provided voluntarily by the senior woman consultants within the organization of Experian.  Ahu Atay, our Assistant General Manager, is one of such consultants, and the first training has been delivered by her.  We will arrange various trainings at various locations in Turkey thanks to the organization of Aktif Bank.  This is the social responsibility side of the project. On the innovative side, project, we are aiming to collaborate with our partners in respect of the alternative data sources that would facilitate the rating of the individuals who have not utilized any loan before and who have no credentials in the industry."

Orhan: "In 66 cities and 96 branches, we are supporting thousands of women for becoming a micro-entrepreneur"

Stating that, for the purpose of reducing poverty, they have been extending micro-loans since 2003 so as to enable low-income women to get engaged in income-generating activities, Halil Orhan, the General Manager of the Turkish Grameen Micro-Finance Program (TGMP), said; "Extension of micro-loans in Turkey was initiated first in Diyarbakir. We distributed micro-loans, totaling to 1 billion 419 million Liras, so as to enable more than 200 thousand poor entrepreneur women become micro-entrepreneurs, in 66 cities and 96 branches up to the present. Considering the rate of return in respect of such micro-loans extended, we recognize a one hundred percent success.  As part of the project "Aktif (Active) Women in Economy", we have materialized in collaboration with Aktif Bank, we are more than glad to have provided the women, we have reached up until today, with a micro-loan support amounting to 2 million 732 thousand TRY".