Dolls of Anatolian women inspire young girls

Dolls of Anatolian women inspire young girls

ISTANBUL
Dolls of Anatolian women inspire young girlsDolls of Anatolian women inspire young girls

Halide Edip Adıvar, one of the prominent authors of Turkish literature who portrayed the National Struggle in her novels, is now inspiring young girls through the "Puduhepa and Her Sisters" project initiated by social entrepreneur Renan Tan Tavukçuoğlu.

 

Known as the "Commander Halide" of the War of Independence, a founder of state-run Anadolu Agency and Turkish literature's "first war novelist," Adıvar's intellectual legacy is conveyed to future generations through Anatolian-themed rag dolls.

 

Seven years ago, Tavukçuoğlu launched the project to inspire young girls by telling the stories of women from Anatolia who achieved international success in fields such as art, politics, science, literature and music.

 

The project began with a rag doll representing Puduhepa, the Hittite queen who signed the first known peace treaty, the Treaty of Kadesh. Over the years, inspired by the term "her sisters" in the project name, four additional women were included in the project.

 

Following Puduhepa, the project honored Dilhan Ege Eryurt, the first Turkish female astrophysicist to work at NASA and an Apollo Achievement Award winner; Gülriz Sururi, an award-winning writer and director who made significant contributions to literature and theater; and Professor Asuman Baytop, known for her dedication to botany, who enriched Türkiye's flora and the scientific world with thousands of plant specimens.

 

Adıvar's life story in a children's book

 

On the occasion of the Turkish Republic's 100th anniversary, Adıvar was added to the project.

 

The design of Adıvar's rag doll's outfit was created by Fırat Neziroğlu. The doll holds a knitted book symbolizing her contributions to Turkish literature. In addition to the rag doll, a children’s book narrates her struggle-filled life story and her achievements that became a symbol of national pride.

 

The production of these inspiring rag dolls has provided employment for nearly 100 women across Türkiye. Revenue from sales is donated to the Tüvana Foundation for Educating Children (TOÇEV), supporting the education of 155 girls.

 

Made by women affected by the earthquake

 

Tavukçuoğlu said that the idea for the project came from her belief in doing better and investing in children seven years ago.

 

"The purpose is to bring the stories of strong women from our land to the present day and inspire children growing up here. These lands have seen many accomplished women and incredible stories. We need to cherish them," she said.

 

Tavukçuoğlu explained that the production process of the five rag dolls involves multiple stages. The stuffing and knitting of the book held by the Adıvar doll were done by women in Hatay affected by the earthquake, while its clothing was sewn by women in Nevruz village in Çanakkale.

 

She emphasized that purchasing these rag dolls is more than acquiring a product or children’s book. "It means supporting women's employment and the education of another young girl. For the child who receives it, it also serves as a great source of inspiration," she said.

 

Tavukçuoğlu added that the "Puduhepa and Her Sisters" project also includes books that narrate the stories of these women. She mentioned that the book on Puduhepa has been incorporated into the curriculum of a private school this year and has been translated into English, German and French, with work underway for a Japanese translation.