Winners Announced in the Connected Women Digital Marketing Campaign Contest

The winners of the fourth annual Digital Marketing Campaign Contest-organized under the Connected Women project, a joint initiative ofthe Ministry of National Education’s Directorate General for Lifelong Learning and the Vodafone Turkey Foundation- have been announced. The competition assessed participants’ performance in managing social media accounts. Cennet Esin Baltacı received first place, with Çiğdem Çağlar coming in second and Yasemin Kaplan Bilmez in third. Honorable Mentions went to Güllü Güzey and İremnur Aşın.

Designed to empower women by combining the transformative force of technology with their innate potential, the Connected Women project has successfully completed its latest competition. Aimed at enhancing the digital competencies of women aged 16 and over , the initiative invited participants who had completed the “Digital Marketing” training to take part the fourth annual Digital Marketing Campaign Contest, whose winners have now been announced.

Cennet Esin Baltacı, a participant from the Hatay Arsuz Public Education Center, won first place for successfully managing the Instagram account “@akbukelifcamping” that promotes a campsite. Çiğdem Çağlar from the Elazığ Arıcak Public Education Center earned second place with her “@evagurumii” account featuring amigurumi creations, while Yasemin Kaplan Bilmez from the Diyarbakır Yenişehir Public Education Center received third place for “@marleensabun” where she showcases her handmade soaps. Honorable Mentions were presented to Güllü Güzey from Elazığ Arıcak for “@shawlcrafs” and İremnur Aşın from Diyarbakır Yenişehir for “@dyt_iremnurasn.”

Cengiz Mete, Director General of Lifelong Learning at the Ministry of National Education, shared the following remarks:

“At the Directorate General for Lifelong Learning under the Ministry of National Education, our mission is to promote education and learningas a lifelong journey.. People may vary in their skills, educational backgrounds, and cultural experiences, but we aim to support everyone whose shared goal is personal growth through lifelong learning. For the past four years, we have been carrying out the Connected Women project to empower women with limited access to technology and employment opportunities in this area. As part of this project, we have provided digital training to tens of thousands of women, organized competitions and created spaces where women canapply their knowledge in real-world settings. . On this occasion, we extend our congratulations to all course participants and educators involved in the Digital Marketing Campaign Contest. We celebrate their efforts in launchingcampaigns,earning recognition. , and contributing to a future where Turkey will embrace learning at every stage of life.

Hasan Süel, the Chair of the Vodafone Turkey Foundation, stated:

“At the Vodafone Foundation, we believe every initiative should serve a meaningful purpose. Through the Connected Women project, our goal is to enhance women's digital skills and support their integration into the economic sphere. The women who benefit from this project gain a significant advantage through the training they receive in digital adaptation and employability. This year, for the fourth time, we organized the Digital Marketing Campaign Contest for participants who completed the ‘Digital Marketing’ training. We received 33 applications in total, and after an initial evaluation , 15 participants qualified for the campaign phase. Each of them managed a social media account for their business or a selected business over a six-week period. Their efforts were evaluated by a jury, and winners were selected accordingly. We congratulate all participants and wish them continued success. At the Vodafone Foundation, we remain committed to empowering women by expanding access to the opportunities enabled by digital technology.

Participants from Earthquake-Affected Regions Also Took Part

A total of 33 applications were submitted for the contest, and 15 participants advanced to manage the social media accounts for their own businesses or a selected business over several weeks. . As part of the Connected Women project, which was implemented this year in 11 provinces affected by the earthquake, trainees from the region also participated in the contest. These women promoted and sold their products or services online. To support them throughout the campaign process, Vodafone Volunteers offered mentoring sessions on various topics, including: Increasing Engagement,followers,customers on social media, effective use of social media in sales and marketing, communication with customers andfollowers on digital platforms,” and presentation design and delivery techniques. The campaigns were evaluated by a jury consisting of an academic expert and representatives from partner organizations.

Seed Funding Provided to the Winners

The top three winners received a total of 45,000 TL in seed funding to help grow their businesses.Honorable Mention awardees were granted technology gift vouchers worth 10,000 TL in total. Additionally, the three trainers and public education centers of the top three winners were awarded a total of 57,500 TL. The trainers of the Honorable Mention recipients were also granted technology gift vouchers worth 10,000 TL.

Training Delivered to Nearly 50,000 Women in 21 Provinces

The Connected Women project aims to unlock women’s digital potential through a range of training programs. As part of the project, participants receive training in digital literacy, digital marketing and an introductory seminar titled “Introduction to the Digital World.” To date, nearly 50,000 women have been trained across 21 provinces. Vodafone has also expanded the project to earthquake-affected regions and aims to reach an additional 15,000 women across 11 provinces.