What Participants Say about HasNa’s
Training Programs:

"I am very grateful to you all for everything you have done for us during our training in the US. I personally had a great chance to explore farming practices in the area we were visiting. During that visit, one of the most important things I learned was to put your ideas into practice. We all have great ideas in our minds but when they are not put into practice, they are good for nothing."

Ahmet Tokdemir, Leader Farmer Training Program, 2007 participant

"One of the things I learned in America was that I should try to market my products to buyers directly. I will try to do that in the future."

Mehmet Tahir Karakecili , Leader Farmer Training Program, 2007 participant

“It is difficult to comment, but everything was great. I realized that I did not know anything. It was wonderful to learn. I am grateful that you provided this training for women who have no means to get such education."

Women's Micro-enterprise training, 2007 participant

“I am passing on the information I learned during the training and our farm visits to the farmers that I work with every chance I get."

Kenan Arslan, Farm Extension Worker Training, 2006 participant

“First of all I would like to introduce myself. I am the son of Osman Aydogdu, chairmen of the Ataturk Water Works, which is tied to the GAP Region Water Works. I wanted to thank you even if it is a little late because my father talked a lot about your interest and concern. However, what I really want to thank you for is your vision, determination, your stance towards the future, and especially for the work HasNa is putting in and the hope it carries in its heart for the future of this country. When I see this hope that HasNa has, I realize that as a member of the younger generation, I am not alone, and the path that I want to follow and dedicate myself to is not wrong. I would like to thank you once again for the synergy that you produce. For that reason I am able to say that the future is looking brighter and I hope that you can see this also. With the hope of reaching a brighter and more a beautiful future together I remain.”

Faruk Aydogdu, son of 2005 participant

“Now I can better answer the question “how to ensure communication and interaction between different tribes?”

Chairman from SE Turkey, 2005 participant

“[HasNa’s] education program included information that should be provided to everyone in Turkey. We are very thankful and have more hope for peace after this training. I feel very luckyto have been able to acquire such an education at this young age. One of my targets is to use this education for our farmers and people. Of all the subjects we learned, the most important was the conflict management, which is necessary for our society. My life view has totally changed as a result.”

Umit Murat, Water Resource Management Training, 2003 participant

“I grew up in Sirnak and the word ‘conflict’ has always denoted armed conflict to me… now, instead of fear, anxiety and sadness, I associate this term with hope.”

Perihan Erener, Water Resource Management Training, 2003 participant

“My life view has totally changed with HasNa’s training program. We learned discussion techniques and how to judge different values more objectively in our personal and professional relationships. This will be useful for us personally and will have a good effect on our families and society. Also, I really feel blessed that I had a chance to analyze the watering techniques and the implementation of agricultural technologies and many other practical aspects of agriculture in the U.S. I feel that I will be more professional at work as a result.”

Celal Kaya, Water Resource Management Training, 2003 participant

“The most important thing we learned in the U.S. was how to resolve conflicts mutually. I think through this we have been able to be more useful to our farmers.”

Muhittin Meral, Water Resource Management Training, 2003 participant

“He had a ‘closed’ style of life before the training. He started to think more flexibly after the training and reflected this flexible thinking to his behaviour. For example, he used to be against going to cinema with family, but now he suggests this himself. He is more active in efforts to solve problems. He has also started to question our communication with children. For example, he is now ready to take psychological consulting for our children if needed.”

Wife of Muhittin Meral, Water Resource Management Training, 2003 participant

“We learned that it does not matter what education level people have, what matters is guiding them to solving their own problems. Every person has something to say and it is important to listen to everyone to understand their point of view. What they say is not wrong, there are no wrong answers, only different points of view. Before this training, when people said something to us, we always interpreted it but now we are aware that we should try to be neutral.”

Zeyni Ozkan, Water Resource Management Training, 2003 participant

“He is much more understanding and easy now. He listens more to what I say. He is trying to solve problems quietly.”

Wife of Zeyni Özkan, Water Resource Management Training, 2003 participant

“Our biggest problem is that our main role is to give advice so we used to go and tell the farmers what to do…after this training, I learned not to give advice but to let the farmers talk and then guide them to solving their own problems. As they talk about their own problems, they will come up with solutions. This is the opposite of what we used to do.”

Cuma Yildik, Water Resource Management Training, 2003 participant

“Conflict Resolution training has improved our skills.”

Cetin Sen, Water Resource Management Training, 2003 participant

“In the U.S. the most unique thing we learned about was conflict resolution. I have been able to solve all the problems that have come up in my life successfully since then. The people who benefited the most from the training have been the farmers because they no longer fight for water.”

Halit Kilic, Water Resource Management Training, 2002 participant

“I have continued to develop what I learned about mediation in the U.S. through several seminars after I returned home. I am continuing to share what I learned with all the farmers.”

Murat Dolas, Water Resource Management Training, 2002 participant

“I felt an injustice in my heart because I did not have the right to meet a person living beside me just because he/she is a Turkish Cypriot. I was eager to break this wall of unfairness…I loved having the chance to live next to a Turkish Cypriot [during the HasNa training], and to share a house for a few days with an American family.”

Marios Ignatiou, Greek Cypriot journalist, 2002 participant

“One of the Greek friends said “I want to learn Turkish”. That was great! I expressed my feeling that yes we should learn each others’ language. In the short term it can be difficult but wishing to reach the solution for the Cyprus problem, we will need language to communicate with each other throughout the island.”

Turkish Cypriot journalist, 2002 participant

“In these days I realized how important it is to listen carefully without interruptions. So, although I always liked listening and giving attention to people, after these seminars and the internship I think I became a better listener. I believe I am going to implement the knowledge of mediation as I had the chance to learn in my interviews and reporting.”

Alexandra Constantinou, Greek Cypriot journalist, 2002 participant

“Thanks to the HasNa training I have enhanced my dialogue and relationship with people. As a result of this my relationship with the farmers has improved and the farmers trust me more. Now we have less problems related to irrigation.”

Mehmet Demirel, Water Resource Management Training, 2000 participant

“The training we received in the U.S. has helped me and the people in my community.”

A. Kadir Alaybeyi, Water Resource Management Training, 2000 participant

“We shared what we learned at the training with the farmers and this lead to some change. Now they are more congenial because they realized that what we were telling them is useful to them.”

Mehmet Sinan Dirlik, Water Resource Management Training, 2000 participant

“Earlier, traditional approaches dominated problem solving and there used to be a chaotic environment. There was use of power in excessive forms. Now we listen to others, participate and intermediate.”

Participant from Southeast Turkey

“Thanks to HASNA, it was a turning point in our lives.”

Participant from Southeast Turkey

To read more about the program participants’ reactions to the trainings, please read our evaluations.