# Turkish Red Crescent social empowerment initiatives

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/turkish-red-crescent-social-empowerment-initiatives
> Updated: 2026-10-25T08:57:00.000Z. Sources: 21. Developments: 3.

The Turkish Red Crescent has implemented various social initiatives to support economic empowerment and community welfare. In Nevşehir, the organization hosted its tenth ‘Cooking with Kindness’ (İyilikle Pişen Hayatlar) workshop at the historic Damat Ibrahim Pasha Complex. The two-day program provided twenty women from Osmaniye with training in international cuisine and professional kitchen skills to assist with future employment.

In Kars, the Turkish Red Crescent Women’s Workshop has launched an initiative where volunteers produce handicrafts to be sold at charity markets. The revenue from these sales is used to fund the Kars Red Crescent Soup Kitchen, creating what local officials describe as a ‘chain of goodness’ to provide hot meals to those in need.

The organization has continued to expand its vocational programs, most recently holding its 12th ‘Lives Cooked with Kindness’ workshop in Istanbul. Hosted at the Bağcılar Soup Kitchen, this session provided twenty women from Diyarbakır with fundamental kitchen training led by professional chefs, including Ömür Akkor, Araz Aknam, Claudio Chinali, and Sergen Özen. Participants received certificates to assist their transition into professional culinary roles.

Emre Koç, Vice President of the Turkish Red Crescent, stated that the program seeks to empower women socio-economically as cities recover from disasters, noting that some participants had previously served in Red Crescent soup kitchens during the earthquake period.

## Claims

- The Turkish Red Crescent held the 12th 'Lives Cooked with Kindness' workshop in Istanbul. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The workshop was located at the Turkish Red Crescent Bağcılar Soup Kitchen. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Twenty women from Diyarbakır participated in the two-day program. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Chef Ömür Akkor, Araz Aknam, Claudio Chinali, and Sergen Özen provided guidance during the training. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The program aims to improve professional skills and support employment for earthquake-affected women. (corroborated by 3 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-25: Turkish Kızılay hosts culinary workshop for earthquake survivors

The Turkish Red Crescent organized its 12th culinary workshop in Istanbul, providing professional training to 20 women from Diyarbakır to support their economic empowerment following the earthquakes.

14 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkish-red-crescent-hosts-cooking-workshop-for-earthquake-affected-women

### 2026-10-02: Turkish Red Crescent uses women's handicrafts to fund soup kitchens in Kars

The Turkish Red Crescent in Kars is using handmade products created by volunteer women to fund its soup kitchen through charity markets, providing hot meals to citizens in need.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkish-red-crescent-uses-womens-handicrafts-to-fund-soup-kitchens-in-kars

### 2026-09-29: Turkish Red Crescent hosts cooking workshop in Nevşehir

The Turkish Red Crescent completed its tenth ‘Cooking with Kindness’ workshop in Nevşehir, providing culinary training to 20 women from Osmaniye to support their employment following the earthquakes.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkish-red-crescent-hosts-cooking-workshop-in-nevehir

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Cite as: Turkish Red Crescent social empowerment initiatives. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/turkish-red-crescent-social-empowerment-initiatives