WOMEN AND LEARNING: MELSA MUĞLA HANDCRAFTS
MELSA, which started as a women's employment initiative in Muğla, has an important place in women's learning through entrepreneurship. Cooperative experience also enables new learning for women who are local producers.
MELSA Muğla Handicrafts today serves within the structure of Muğla Metropolitan Municipality and its purpose of establishment is to keep alive, develop and provide handcrafts in local area and employment for housewives. MELSA was founded in 1995 by Turkey's first female governor Lale Aytaman initiative. MELSA Muğla Handicrafts, besides local handicrafts and weaving, serves the tourism and environmental awareness of the country by undertaking the management of touristic regions within the scope of protection of the abandoned architectural values in the Mugla region due to its mission.
In addition to the weaving looms in its central workshop, MELSA aims to spread looms to young generations by establishing looms in houses in various villages of Muğla.
All hand-woven products are offered at MELSA Muğla Handicrafts' retail store in Muğla. These products include products produced by women's co-operatives, a result of women's entrepreneurship.
MELSA Muğla Handicrafts transfers its traditional handicrafts to the younger generations with its wide weaver network which produces in the towns and villages in addition to its own staff for hand weaving.
