BAUMUS Continues to Support the Career Journeys of Migrant Women

BAUMUS supported two projects focusing on migrant women, carried out by Otto and Fran Walter Rotary Peace Center fellows H. Şeyda Bodur and Suaad Abdo.

EmpowerHer – Stronger Together!

Supporting the Empowerment and Integration of Migrant Women in Germany

EmpowerHer is a social change initiative developed by Suaad Abdo to support the empowerment and social integration of migrant women living in the North Rhine-Westphalia region. By building supportive networks between refugee women and German women and encouraging skill development, the project aims to create an inclusive environment in which participants can grow personally and socially.

Launched under the mentorship of BAUMUS Coordinator Prof. Dr. Ulaş Sunata, EmpowerHer has benefited significantly from the valuable support and guidance of the BAUMUS network.

The project is aimed at migrant women in Bonn and North Rhine-Westphalia and at German women who wish to mentor them. While strengthening a sense of belonging, EmpowerHer also supports the adaptation process through various community activities. These activities range from informal gatherings that encourage cultural interaction to structured training sessions focused on knowledge sharing and mutual learning.

For more information:
🌐 EmpowerHer website
📸 Instagram: @empowerher.sci

SHEWORKS Project

Promoting Social Change: Integrating Women from Syria and the MENA Region into the Workforce and Creating Hope in Communities

SHEWORKS is a social change initiative developed by Şeyda Bodur. The project aimed to prepare university-graduate women who migrated from the MENA region, particularly from Syria and neighboring countries, for the workforce. The project was carried out with the academic support of BAUMUS and its founder Prof. Dr. Ulaş Sunata.

Participants attended a one-week “Competency-Based Career Preparation Program” at Bahçeşehir University. The program provided training on writing effective CVs and cover letters, interview techniques, professional networking, self-awareness, motivation and goal setting. At the end of the program, participants received certificates, becoming better equipped for the job search process and discovering their own strengths.

The aim of the project was not to provide direct employment, but to empower migrant women by equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need in the job search process. As participants became aware of their own competencies, they were able to step into working life with greater confidence.

Aligned with the United Nations “Decent Work” framework, SHEWORKS contributed to the personal development of participants and laid a strong foundation for their career journeys.

For more information:
🌐 SheWorks website
📸 Instagram: @sheworks_tr