Süheyla Doğan, a retired civil engineer, has moved to Ida Mountain with her family for a tranquil life after living in Antalya for many years. Thanks to her socially responsible character, she established “Nusratlı Village Culture Tourism and Solidarity Association” in 2005 with the support of villagers of Nusratlı.
NusratDer’s management is composed of 7 people, 3 of which are women and 4 of which are men. They came together for contributing to the development of Nusratlı and reviving the ecological tourism and agriculture activities. The Association reached 100 members and is the first village association in the region.
The Association gave the village a new lease of life that started with organizing computer courses for children and women, and trips for the people who could not find the opportunity to go outside of the village. The work of the Association has been expanded over time, and Nusratlı Village Development Project was kicked off for the touristic and economic development of the village under the leadership of Ayvacık Vocational School. The project was supported by South Marmara Development Agency, where the old school was restored into training room, kitchen and natural products sales center. The variety of the products sold in the sales center has expanded, where 12 women are selling olive, olive oil, medical and aromatic herbs, tomato paste, homemade pasta, jams and handicraft products. 25 women attended a training on guest house management and 3 families transformed their homes into guest houses, which contributed to these families as well as to the village economy.
Under the leadership of Süheyla Doğan, Nusratlı Village Solidarity Association organized many activities for all of the villagers working as a team of women, children and elders. It empowered women as individuals in their homes and within the society economically as well as socially. It inspired many villages in the region. Nusratlı Village Solidarity Association enabled the development of the village and created a big difference in the lives of villagers of Nusratlı.