TİKAV Met Rural Women in Erzurum, Elazığ and Malatya with the “We Are Talking from Generation to Generation” Project

Türkiye İnsan Kaynakları Eğitim ve Sağlık Vakfı (TİKAV), founded by Akfen Holding, came together with women living in rural areas of Erzurum, Elazığ and Malatya within the scope of the “We Are Talking from Generation to Generation” project, which is being carried out with financing from Akfen Yenilenebilir Enerji.

A total of 220 people were reached through the trainings, which aim to contribute to women’s empowerment in family and intergenerational communication processes. TİKAV Board of Directors Chair Hülya Kırçuval, who attended the gathering in the Elazığ GES region, emphasized that the empowerment of women in rural areas contributes to the strengthening of families, and the strengthening of families contributes to the strengthening of society.

The “We Are Talking from Generation to Generation” project, coordinated by TİKAV and financed by Akfen Yenilenebilir Enerji A.Ş. throughout 2026, continues to contribute to the social development and intra-family communication processes of women living in rural areas.

Carried out within the scope of the project in rural areas where Akfen Yenilenebilir Enerji has HPP, SPP and WPP investments, the initiative aims to raise women’s awareness about being able to establish healthier communication with different generations within the family, recognizing the obstacles encountered in communication, and managing conflict processes constructively.

Within the scope of the project, consecutive trainings were held in Erzurum, Elazığ and Malatya in September. The gatherings, which started on September 15 at the Gelinkaya HPP site in the Aziziye district of Erzurum, continued on September 16 at the Elazığ GES site in central Elazığ. TİKAV Board of Directors Chair Hülya Kırçuval also came together with women living in the rural region during the training in Elazığ. The trainings continued on September 17 at the İota M. Fırıncı GES site in the Battalgazi district of Malatya.

During the trainings, women were informed about the causes of differences experienced in intergenerational communication, the effects of prejudices on communication, and healthy communication methods, while it was emphasized that family conflicts, when managed correctly, can strengthen relationships. Thus, the aim was not only to develop women’s individual communication skills, but also to ensure that the gains they acquired would reflect on family relationships and the social environment in which they live.

“If Women Are Empowered, Families Are Empowered; If Families Are Empowered, Society Is Empowered”

TİKAV Board of Directors Chair Hülya Kırçuval, drawing attention to the project’s approach toward women living in rural areas during the gathering in Elazığ, stated that she found the strengthening of intergenerational communication very valuable not only in terms of relationships within the family, but also in terms of strengthening social bonds.

Kırçuval stated the following:

“We do not address the empowerment of women living in rural areas only in terms of individual development. A woman’s ability to express herself better, manage communication processes within the family more healthily, and feel strong in her relationships with different generations directly reflects on the family structure as well. We believe that if women are empowered, families are empowered; if families are empowered, society is empowered. With the ‘We Are Talking from Generation to Generation’ project, we aim to increase women’s awareness regarding communication and contribute to their ability to handle the problems they encounter in a healthier way. Coming together with women in Elazığ, listening to their experiences, and being part of this sharing was very valuable for us.”

Communication-Focused Support for the Empowerment of Rural Women

Through TİKAV’s “We Are Talking from Generation to Generation” project, it is aimed to raise the awareness of women living in rural areas regarding the problems they may encounter in communication within the family and with different generations. While information and methods for resolving and preventing communication problems are conveyed during the trainings, the aim is to contribute to women taking on a stronger and more active role in communication processes within the family.

The project, which is planned to be carried out throughout 2026 in rural areas where Akfen Yenilenebilir Enerji has 28 different HPP, SPP and WPP facilities, continues to support women’s individual and social development through trainings held in different cities. Through these efforts, TİKAV aims to create a lasting social impact that starts with the empowerment of rural women and spreads to families and, on a broader scale, to society.