Enerjisa Enerji Completes the First Year of the Project at Karataş to Empower Fishery and Local Women

Pioneering in both business and social benefit in electricity distribution, retail, and customer solutions industry that the company leads with the vision of ‘A better future for all,’ Enerjisa Enerji launched the Support to Sustainable Fishery Project in Karataş, Adana in line with its vision. Collaborating with Karataş Municipality and Karataş Aquaculture Cooperative, Enerjisa Enerji successfully completed the first year of the project, particularly focused on the environment and local people, where 60 percent of the locals earn their living from fishery.

Karataş, where the main livelihood of local people is fishery, has the widest fishing fleet in the Mediterranean region. Therefore, Karataş was chosen as the focus area of the project due water pollution and plastic wastes causing an environmental threat for the region. Various investments have been planned in the region to sustain the threat on fishery, to support local development and to minimize the adverse impacts of climate change.

Almost all energy required for fishermen is supplied by renewable energy

Thanks to the solar power plant put into operation by Enerjisa for the cooperative, the cooperative meets most of its energy needs from sustainable resources and prevents 23 tons of CO2 emissions per year, thus contributing to the fishery ecosystem with the savings achieved.

Thanks to these savings, ice which is one of the biggest expense items for fishermen is offered for a more affordable price by the cooperative.

15 tons of fish nets collected in 9 months

The project enables fishermen to deliver unusable fish nets to the Waste Collection and Recovery Center located at Karataş Port. Another output of this system which was planned to prevent ghost nets and plastic wastes to be thrown in the sea and to create income for fishermen is that nets are collected and separated at the center located at the port by Karataş Municipality and upcycled in the hands of women, thus regained as raw materials. So far, more than 15 tons of fish nets were collected in 9 months, with an increase observed in delivery of plastic wastes and nets to the center.

Local women were provided training regarding color, design, and branding by Enerjisa Enerji, which enabled them to get the opportunity to generate income through upcycled products. Waste denims and waste nets are upcycled to become, for example, zero waste bag production and women are offered a new revenue model thanks to this project. In addition, more women are included in the fishery ecosystem via netting workshops held in the region and invisible labor becomes visible. Net repairing practices encourage reusing nets and less waste is produced in the region. Thanks to various workshops, supported by training provided to women, a meaningful step is taken against financial inequality and gender inequality.

A first in the World: Women gained ergonomic production opportunities with the new production desk

Stakeholder gathered for the first anniversary of the project and introduced the prototype of the ergonomic netting desk to local women, developed and registered with the innovative contributions of Izmir Economy University, at the event hosted by Karataş Municipality.

The mobile netting desk, developed in collaboration with Izmir Economy University as a first in the world, enables women to net in a more ergonomic and efficient way. This innovative product, financed by Enerjisa Enerji, has features that will make it easier for women to work while protecting their body health. The product prevents waist, neck and eye problems and has the potential to enable full-scale production for women’s cooperative to use in the future.

 

“Our goal is to contribute to social structure in the long run”

Emphasizing that announcement of the project on a national scale is a critical step in our country's achievement of sustainable development goals, Ebru Taşcıoğlu, Head of Sustainability and Corporate Competencies Department, stated; “As we complete one year of the Karataş project, we successfully achieved all our goals together with Karataş Municipality and created a sustainable model. At Enerjisa Enerji, we continue to raise environmental awareness of local people through energy efficiency training and to contribute to the community. Thanks to this multi-dimensional project aiming to empower women in Karataş, to reduce water pollution and to achieve environmental sustainability, our goal is to make permanent contributions to the social structure in the region in the long run.

Thanks to our waste collection and recovery center that we installed at Karataş port, we have developed an eco-friendly economy model by collecting and upcycling ghost nets. The goal of this project is to prevent water pollution and encourage sustainable fishery, financially empower women who are affected by climate change the most, and contribute to gender equality. Now, our purpose is to share this success story at Karataş on a national scale. At Enerjisa Enerji, we assume our responsibilities to the environment and society for a better future and would like to thank all our project partners whom we have joined forces with on this path. In compliance with the principle of ‘Partnerships for Goals’ of the UN, we will continue to pioneer the energy transformation of our country and to develop more environmentally friendly economic models in line with the sustainable development goals.”

“We will facilitate women and fishermen to maintain their professions in line with the sustainability principle”

Indicating that they were proud and glad to celebrate the first anniversary of ‘Support to Sustainable Fishery’ project, Ali Bedrettin Karataş, Mayor of Karataş Municipality, stated, “As part of the activities carried out to develop this project, we have adopted the significance of existence of and supporting women in fishery business; hence, we have launched various projects to support these women. Thus, we have taken action to improve women’s role in fishery, who are mainly the core of the traditional shore fishery business and knit the nets used by fishermen. The goal was to revive this profession that has almost passed into oblivion and to improve the fishery by assessing the problems encountered by women in this sector.

Accordingly, we completed the design of the new ergonomic desks and re-activated Magarsus Women's Cooperative to bring women together. We strongly believe that we will carry this collaboration and activities even further. And together, we will establish and develop the infrastructure that will enable women and fishermen to continue their professions in line with the principle of sustainability.

I would like to thank Enerjisa Enerji family and the representatives of Karataş Aquaculture Cooperative whom we achieved this project together.”











About Enerjisa Enerji
Enerjisa Enerji, which pioneers the energy transformation in Türkiye by using the multiplier effect of sustainability and technology in line with its vision of ‘a better future for all,’ provides service to 25 percent of Türkiye in electricity distribution and retail, which are the main fields of activity of the company. Enerjisa Enerji, the prominent player in the industry, reaches 10.8 million customers in 14 provinces and provides electricity distribution services to more than 22 million users. While Enerjisa Enerji offers renewable energy, efficiency, and green energy solutions to its customers via its Energy of My Business brand, the company also operates the first and fastest charging station network in Türkiye with Eşarj, the company of which Enerjisa owns 100% of its shares. 20 percent of Enerjisa Enerji, whose main shareholders are Sabancı Holding and E.ON, is publicly traded in Borsa Istanbul.