Istanbul Gelisim University - Disabled Şerife Türüdü who survived lung cancer: Include people with disabilities in business life to make them hold on

Disabled Şerife Türüdü who survived lung cancer: Include people with disabilities in business life to make them hold on to the life

Şerife Türüdü, the founder of Tekirdağ Barrier-free Living Association, made a speech at the meeting of Ready Women Project that aims to create opportunities for women with physical disabilities to take part in business life and said: “Include people with disabilities in business life to make them hold on to the life.”

The 3rd meeting of Ready Woman was held in Istanbul, which aims to increase the participation of women with physical disabilities in social and business life, and is organized in collaboration with 7 countries. Participating countries include Greece, Turkey, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Spain and Bulgaria.

Şerife Türüdü, the founder of Tekirdağ Barrier-free Living Association, who is physically disabled as a result of a traffic accident 17 years ago and survived lung cancer 3 years ago, also took place at the meeting held at Istanbul Gelisim University (IGU). Research Support Coordinator Melike Çetin also attended the meeting representing IGU.

The 58-year-old Şerife Türüdü, who lives in Tekirdağ, was seriously injured after a traffic accident 17 years ago. Türüdü had also lung cancer three years ago, who held on to the life by founding Tekirdağ Barrier-free Life Association. Türüdü, who lives in a wheelchair, said that she overcame cancer thanks to her joy of life.

“WE WANT TO ACCOMPANY”

Explaining the difficulties of individuals with disabilities in her speech at the meeting, Türüdü said: “To be a woman in Turkey is hard, but to be a disabled woman is much more difficult. You cannot be a wife; you are not considered as a woman. There is no one to guide you. We want to accompany to disabled individuals on these issues.”

“INCLUDE THE DISABLED INTO BUSINESS”

Stating that they are carrying out studies to make disabled people hold on to the life, Şerife Türüdü expressed that her biggest desire is individuals with disabilities to become self-employed. Türüdü said: “Include people with disabilities in business life so that they can hold on to the life. Many disabled people who want to work are unable to work because they are not suitable for the access of the workplace. Nothing makes people happy but one can produce by herself/himself and afford their lives. It is more valuable than money.”

Encarnación Barrera, the project coordinator of Ready Women, from Fams Cocemfe Sevilla (Federation of People with Physical Disabilities) explained that they aim to offer new opportunities for women with disabilities at her speech about the purpose of the project.

“OUR AIM IS TO UNDERSTAND NEW OPPORTUNITIES”

Emphasizing that the European Union should facilitate the participation of women with disabilities in social life through new employment opportunities, Barrera said: “This can be facilitated mainly through the development of competencies in self-confidence, social competence, communication and so on. I work with physically disabled people. We are here to celebrate the third international coordination meeting on the Ready Women project. The main purpose of the 'Ready Woman' project, which is co-founded by Erasmus+ Program for European Union, is to offer new opportunities for women with physical disabilities to find a new chance in the labor market. We aim to demonstrate this goal mainly through trainings and other activities that are very useful for them.”

“WE TRY TO SOLVE DOUBLE DISCRIMINATION”

Ioannis Papagiannopoulos from ERFC European Regional Framework for Cooperation explained that they are trying to develop some modules for women with disabilities, taking into account entrepreneurial and social skills for women to help them enter in the labor market.

Papagiannopoulos stated that they support the inclusion of women with disabilities in society and continued: “We need to accompany women in the labor market and prepare them for job interviews, act with them when applying for a new job. We try to solve the double discrimination that women face. I think this is a really difficult situation for women. We try to help and support women to get involved in society, we prefer inclusion versus integration.”