Across Kenya and much of Africa, women form the backbone of cooperative movements — from table banking groups and dairy cooperatives to savings groups, agribusiness collectives and craft societies. Yet many women-led cooperatives still struggle to move from survival to sustainability, from social support to real economic power.
The story of Meryem Women’s Cooperative in Adana, Turkey, offers powerful lessons on how unity, innovation and a values-driven cooperative model can transform the lives of economically stressed women and redefine what cooperatives can achieve.
A Cooperative Built for the Most Vulnerable.
Founded in 2020 with support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Adana Metropolitan Municipality, Meryem Women’s Cooperative was intentionally designed to serve women who had been “pushed out of life.” These include women excluded from employment due to gender discrimination, refugees blocked by legal barriers, and those trapped in unsafe or exploitative work.
Today, the cooperative employs 30 women, including Turkish nationals and refugees from Iran, Afghanistan and Syria. Their work focuses on sustainable food and flower production, blending environmental responsibility with social justice.
For Kenyan and African women, this is a critical reminder: a cooperative is not just a business — it is a social safety net, a workplace, and a dignity-restoring institution.
Unity as a Tool for Economic Justice.
One of Meryem’s strongest pillars is unity without exclusion. Membership is flexible. Women can work at the cooperative without being formal members, and even those who retire or leave employment remain connected and supported.
In African contexts, many women drop out of economic activity due to marriage, caregiving responsibilities, age, or social pressure. Meryem’s model shows that cooperatives do not have to “cut ties” with women once their productivity reduces. Experience, mentorship and solidarity are just as valuable as labour.
For African women’s cooperatives, this approach can:
Retain institutional memory,Strengthen intergenerational learning,Prevent vulnerable women from falling back into poverty.
Unity, when practised as a long-term commitment rather than a short-term transaction, becomes revolutionary.
Cooperatives as Social Service Institutions.
Founders Kadem Doğan and Derya Dizi Boduk describe Meryem not just as a workplace, but as a social service institution. Families of women working there have observed increased confidence, independence and security at home.
This mirrors the African reality, where women’s income directly impacts household welfare, children’s education and community stability. When women earn in dignified conditions, entire communities rise.
Kenyan women’s cooperatives — especially those in informal settlements, arid areas and refugee-hosting counties — can reimagine themselves as:
Safe spaces for vulnerable women, Platforms for healing and rebuilding confidence, Institutions that negotiate with government on behalf of women, Strategic Partnerships Without Dependency
Meryem’s success also lies in its ability to work with both public and private sectors while remaining independent. The cooperative received initial support from the ILO and the municipality, including land. But instead of permanent dependence, it turned that support into productivity.
Flowers grown on municipal land are now sold back to local businesses and the municipality itself. The relationship evolved from receiving aid to providing value.
This is a crucial lesson for African cooperatives often trapped in donor dependency. Support should be a launching pad, not a lifeline. Cooperatives must aim to:
Generate their own income, Build market relationships, Negotiate as partners, not beneficiaries.
As Meryem’s advisor puts it, working with the private sector means “you don’t beg for anything.”
Green Economy as an Opportunity for Women.
Meryem is Turkey’s first cooperative built on green Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) principles. Its innovations include:
- A solar-powered smart greenhouse.
- Rainwater harvesting systems.
- Production of heirloom seeds.
- Organic fertilisers like vermicompost.
- Wood vinegar as an eco-friendly pesticide.
These products are supplied to local smallholders, many of them women.
For Africa — a continent facing climate change, water stress and soil degradation — green cooperatives are not optional; they are necessary. Women’s cooperatives can lead in:
Climate-smart agriculture, Renewable energy solutions, Sustainable food systems, Eco-friendly enterprises
By positioning themselves in the green economy, women’s cooperatives can access new markets, funding opportunities and policy support.
Challenges Are Part of the Journey.
Despite its success, Meryem faces challenges familiar to African cooperatives: climate shocks, competition from large firms, marketing difficulties and skills gaps.
The cooperative openly admits its need for digital marketing and accounting skills — a reminder that passion alone is not enough. Capacity building, continuous training and professional management are essential.
African cooperatives must invest in:
- Digital literacy.
- Financial management.
- Branding and market access.
- Youth involvement.
When women are equipped with skills, their cooperatives become resilient.
A Model Worth Replicating.
When Meryem began, even academics struggled to understand the value of an SSE cooperative. But its survival — even without constant funding — turned it into a model for sustainable development and poverty reduction.
For Kenyan and African women, the message is clear:
Unity, when structured through cooperatives, can uplift the most economically stressed women and reshape societies.
Women’s cooperatives can be businesses, social movements, environmental champions and engines of dignity — all at once. Like Meryem, African women can build cooperatives that do more than survive. They can transform lives, influence policy and redefine development from the ground up.
