Collaborators
The bigger picture
The Racso Project has two partners in Samandag.
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Anadolu is a firm of builders and designers specialising in sustainable shelters. Sade is a local charity in Samandag involved in starting women's cooperatives.
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Sade
Our approach to helping Sade is by funding their co operative start ups . As a team we have several products ready to be sold over the counter and overseas. The women's cooperative which will be called 'Rihen' has found a place to rent but needs adequate funding in order to start it. That's where The Racso Project comes in .
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The Racso project will help Sade fund the cooperative start ups. The womens cooperative, Rihen, has found a place to lease and our funding will help them establish it .
Why funding businesses is crucial
The aim is to make Sade profitable and self sustaining so that it doesn't need to rely on outside donations.
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The Products
The Rihen cooperative will sell
Tomato paste
Olives
Dib roman
Aleppo soap
Jam
Cheese &
Olive oil
How much do we need to set up the first cooperative ?
The lease for the cooperative will cost  $6000 a year. Machinery, furniture and basic refurbishment will be needed to set up the premises. Initial cost will be around $11,000 to set up Rihen. The turn over will pay staff wages and profits used to expand the next cooperative.
Team
The team is a group of strong independent women. Cagla Cemali (pictured) is in charge. Cagla founded Sade with two other executives.
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Cagla is one of the kindest & strongest people I have ever met. Cagla left her high salary job in Istanbul to return to Samandag to help her people. She's playing a huge role in rebuilding her community.
Rest of the team
Meet the Çekiç family
Nilya (left) is funny, bright and full of energy. Nilya, also a founder of Sade lives in Samandag and is helping set up Rihen. On the right is her sister Tugba, another Sade member. Also pictured is her mother Nursel who is also helping set up Rihen.
Çiğdem Kaptan
Another Sade member living in Samandag who will eventually be running one of our co operatives. Cigdem is fluent in English she studied at the University of Aydın  Adnan Menderes.
Chief Translator
His resilience and strength has helped him become a fantastic translator and has been helping Sade in the field. Goksel is currently based in Istanbul.
Oscar Newson-Smith
Founder & CEO of The Racso Project
