ENHANCER Project, which aims to contribute to the inclusion of Syrian people who are under temporary protection in the entrepreneurship ecosystem along with the host community, has announced grant awarded institutions under pilot grant scheme with ceremonies held in Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa, attended by limited number of participants following pandemic measures.
Previously, ENHANCER Project had announced “Pilot Grant Scheme for Common Use Facilities in Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa” as its very first grant scheme of the project that is funded under the EU Facility for Refugees in Turkey and implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in coordination of the Ministry of Industry and Technology-General Directorate of Development Agencies. On the occasion of both ceremonies during the week of 25-29th of January, executives of grant awarded institutions have been joined by representatives from relevant public agencies, officials of the EU Delegation to Turkey and ICMPD project team where they also presented their successful projects.
The first ceremony in Şanlıurfa took place at Cevahir Han and it has been introduced with the opening speeches of the Deputy Governor of Şanlıurfa Ismail Çetinkaya, Head of Development Agencies Coordination Department of the Ministry of Industry and Technology Ahmet Şimşek, Mayor of Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality Zeynel Abidin Beyazgül, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) Western Balkans and Turkey Regional Coordinator Tamer Kılıç and Karacadağ Development Agency General Secretary Dr. Hasan Maral.
For the next ceremony held in Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep, Governor of Gaziantep Davut Gül, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Dr. Çetin Ali Dönmez, Mayor of Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Fatma Şahin, Head of the EU Delegation to Turkey Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, ICMPD Western Balkans and Turkey Regional Coordinator Tamer Kılıç and İpekyolu Development Agency Secretary General Dr. Burhan Akyılmaz addressed participants with opening remarks.
In his speeches, ICMPD Western Balkans and Turkey Regional Coordinator Tamer Kılıç shared detailed information regarding the 4-years-long project, which targets 11 provinces including İstanbul, Şanlıurfa, Gaziantep, Adana, Mersin, Bursa, İzmir, Ankara, Konya, Kayseri and Hatay.
Kılıç stated that the total budget of the project is 32.5 million Euros and a total of 5000 people will benefit from entrepreneurship trainings within ENHANCER Project. He added, “Our project will provide a total grant scheme supports of 17 million Euros as an important implementation tool. Within this framework, we will cooperate with our local stakeholders and establish common use facilities for the development of the entrepreneurship ecosystem and for the use of Syrians under Temporary Protection and the host community members”.
APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION EUROS OF GRANT SUPPORT
Under the Pilot Grant Scheme for Common Use Facilities in Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa, which is the first grant scheme of the ENHANCER project; Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce, Gaziantep Regional Industrial Design and Hybrid Modelling Centre (GETHAM), Gaziantep University Technopark and Hasan Kalyoncu University from Gaziantep as well as Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality, Viranşehir Municipality, Karaköprü Municipality and Suruç Municipality from Şanlıurfa have been awarded an approximate total grant budget of 2 million Euros.