When settlements were far from the center, people became tailors and produced their own needs

Spouses of officers staying in the prison campus residences in Kocaeli, who cannot meet their needs due to the distance of the settlements from the city center, learn sewing and embroidery to meet their needs, contribute to the family economy, and socialize.

Spouses of officers staying in the Kandıra Prison Campus Residences are now meeting their own needs as the settlements are far from the market. Women who enrolled in the sewing course opened on the campus 3 years ago contribute to the family economy and socialize. Women who received traditional hand embroidery and decorative wood ornament training from Zeycan Yücel also turned the course centers into a sales store. Women who sew clothes for their spouses, friends, children, and make gift items also prepare products on order, contributing to the family budget.

Women continue their work by producing products in many areas from hair accessories to trousseau items, oil paintings to clothing. At the same time, women make various products with recycled materials.

“Since our location is very far from the market, we cannot buy everything we need”

Gonca Şahin, a student who moved to the campus a year ago, said, “When I moved to the campus, I got bored, I thought about what I could do, and when I learned that a course was opened, I immediately registered. It contributes to the family economy. I now sew my own clothes, make knitted bags. I sell online. I make gift items for relatives, spouses, friends. I made a dress for myself. I can make daily clothes for children, sew shorts, make t-shirts for my spouse. It’s good, it’s also nice socially. We chat with friends together. Since our location is very far from the market, we cannot buy everything we need. Also, due to the high cost of living, we buy fabric and sew ourselves to be economical,” she said.

“I also contribute to my family economically”

Tülay Türkan, who says she sews all her clothes herself, said, “I have been living in the prison campus residences for about 7 years. We did not have our course here before, but it was in the center of Kandıra. It was difficult to go back and forth to the center of Kandıra. Since our course opened, our course has been active for 3 years. I have been coming to the course for 1.5 years and focused on sewing. I also contribute to my family economically. I do not buy clothes from outside anymore, I can sew most of my husband’s, my children’s, and my clothes myself. We also socialize when we come here. We don’t have to sew every day, we also listen to our friend’s troubles, it feels like therapy to us,” she said.

“We sew our clothes ourselves, we make our jewelry”

Handcrafts teacher Zeycan Yücel said, “I have been providing education in many fields for 20 years. For the past 3 years, we have been trying to work in every field with our friends. We sew, embroider, knit. We sew our clothes ourselves, we make our jewelry. We try to focus on what our friends want. We make oil paintings. I try to provide all kinds of training in various fields at our course. Our campus is far from the center, our transportation is very difficult. Therefore, we try to make use of the resources we have. We recycle. I have a team of 25 people”.