Naşide Buluttekin Contributes to Health of Mothers and Children

On 29 November 2009 Sabancı Foundation's "Turkey's Changemakers" program hosts Naşide Buluttekin, who established the "Neighborhood Mothers" model and contributed to the lives of mothers and children. She is also the founder of "Sign of Hope Women Cooperative" which encourages poor women to meet their own needs.

Naşide Buluttekin was born in a town of Diyarbakır, in Southeastern Turkey. She worked as a teacher for 10 years. She then continued her career as the field coordinator of two projects in Diyarbakır: "Women's and Family Health, Education, Implementation and Counseling" and "Encouraging Leadership of Women in Local Development" projects.

She is also a member of Diyarbakır Local Agenda 21 Women Group, Diyarbakır Local Agenda 21 City Council, and Diyarbakır Women Platform. Meanwhile, she was elected as a "social entrepreneur" by Ashoka, which is a global association, located in the U.S.

Buluttekin established centers for women and children education and contributed to the healthy development of children by including mothers in their education. Moreover, she established the "Neighborhood Mothers" model and focused on preschool education. Buluttekin's model works to protect children from dangers and crimes they face in the streets. Currently, there are 20 active women and children education centers in Diyarbakır.

In addition to her activities in child development, she founded "Sign of Hope Women Cooperative" with her belief in the necessity of encouraging women, living in poor districts, to meet their own needs. 1000 children have been educated in this cooperative since 2002.