​By providing micro-finance and training, AktifBank will support low-income women in their journey to entrepreneurship "Aktif (Active) Women in Economy", a project by AktifBank

Just a few days to March 8, International Women's Day, Aktif Bank, the largest privately-owned investment bank in Turkey, materializes an outstanding project devoted to women. By means of its new project, called "Aktif (Active) Women in Economy", Aktif Bank will provide low-income micro-entrepreneur women with the contribution to make their income-generating activities sustainable, by acting in cooperation with the Turkish Grameen Micro-Finance Program.  Besides, it will provide women with support in their journey to entrepreneurship by means of the training program called "Steer Your Financial Future" to be delivered by Experian, a global information services company.

Adaca: "We will bring low-income women in financial ecosystem"

Indicating that they attach great importance to empowerment of the existence of women in economy, Aysegul Adaca, the CEO of Aktif Bank, said; "We, as Aktif Bank, are committed to the value of gender equality in all areas and striving for promoting our actions, aimed at women, in all aspects covering our human resources policies to the sphere of social responsibility. One of the key objectives of the "Aktif (Active) Women in Economy" project, we have materialized as based on such perception, is to bring the low-income micro-entrepreneur women, who are not involved in the banking system, to the financial system and the economy. By means of the micro-loan project we have built, we will also make easier for them to access financial instruments following such micro-loan, by creating their credit scores and financial profiles. By dint of such financial history to be created and the training to be delivered by Experian, we aspire to ramp up the business practicum of women and ensure that they achieve success in their adventure to micro-entrepreneurship and also to provide them with infrastructure for embarking on greater ventures. We are pleased and proud to announce this project just before the International Women's Day".

Micro-loans, amounting to 2 million TRY, to one thousand women at the outset

Stating that, at the outset, they will provide one thousand women with micro-loan, amounting to 2 thousand TRY for each and totaling to 2 million TRY, by acting in cooperation with the Turkish Grameen Micro-Finance Program, Pinar Yilmaz, Aktif Bank's Retail Banking Managing Director said; "By means of our project, called "Aktif (Active) Women in Economy", we have announced on the eve of March 8, International Women's Day, we will support micro-entrepreneur women not only in generation of sustainable income but also in their journey to entrepreneurship. At first, we will provide capital support to the women entrepreneurs, who will set up a business in micro terms, with the micro-loans we will extend as interest-free and with a maturity period of 12 months, and we will create their financial profiles and thereafter provide consulting by delivering the training, called "Steer Your Financial Future" in cooperation with Experian, as well. In respect of the next phases of the project we will carry out in 65 cities where the Turkish Grameen Micro-Finance Program is in effect, we are designing loan processes for business development and procurement of the materials as required for the business, as well. Additionally, we aim to include the women, who wish to be an entrepreneur in the alternative industries such as livestock farming and agriculture, in the scope. We are planning to reach more women and provide them with support in respect of both capital and training, following the efficiency measurements to be conducted for this project meant to be long-running by us".

Mumin: "We are proud to get involved in this project"

Indicating that they feel proud for getting involved in the project, called "Aktif (Active) Women in Economy" and materialized by Aktif Bank, Samile Mumin, the General Manager of Experian, said; "We, as Experian, are trying to support women in terms of financial inclusion in similar projects in many countries worldwide. Our main role in the project is to provide the women, who will be able to reach financial services by means of this project, with the training support to enable them to access loans also in the long term. On the innovative side of the 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."

Akgul: "Income-generating activities by low-incomers must be supported to reduce poverty"

Stating that, for the purpose of reducing poverty, they, as the Turkish Grameen Micro-Finance Program (TGMP), have been extending micro-loans since 2003 on the basis of trust, entirely, but with a return so as to enable low-income women to get engaged in income-generating activities, Halil Fatih Akgul, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Turkish Foundation For Waste Reduction (TISVA), said; "Extension of micro-loans in Turkey was initiated first in Diyarbakir.  We distributed micro-loans, totaling to 1 billion 274 million Liras, so as to enable more than 200 thousand poor entrepreneur women become micro-entrepreneurs, in 65 cities and 94 branches up to the present. The rate of return for such micro-loans extended is reported as 100 percent. Any disabled individual must be provided with grant aids in cash and in kind. However, any and all low-incomers, who are capable of working, must be supported financially just as done by Aktif Bank. For the purpose of supporting performance of income-generating activities by low-income women, the training program, which is called "Steer Your Financial Future and which will be delivered by Experian, is also of great value. We are so pleased to be involved in the "Aktif (Active) Women in Economy) project, we are carrying out in collaboration with Aktif Bank just before March 8, International Women's Day".