HasNa, Inc.

Programs: Cyprus:the collaborative solutions to shared environmental problems program was developed and implemented by hasna in cooperation with the terra cypria and the turkish biologists' association. The program was developed with an aim to provide training in conflict resolution and effective communications skills and to be exposed to the variety of individuals and organizations involved in addressing environmental conflict in the united states. The program was held between july 9th and july 22nd 2012, and was in part funded by a small grant from the us embassy in nicosia. The primary objective of the program was to provide leaders of environmental organizations in cyprus with the foundational knowledge necessary to enact collaborative bi-communal conservation efforts that would benefit local communities and the environment. Since the completion of the us segment of the program, the group has planted the seeds for several bi-communal initiatives that will address the systemic issues at the root of many of the island's environmental problems.

turkey:southeastern turkey, while rife with ethnic tension, holds a reservoir of untapped resources for turkey. Hasna's programs in turkey have provided participants with the technical skills to succeed in their crafts and language skills to increase opportunities, all with a foundation of conflict resolution to dissolve tension and increase community collaboration. English language education program for ngo leaders hasna inc. And diyarbakir development center (kalkinma merkezi) developed a partnership to establish a training center in diyarbakir to strengthen the capacity of human resources, especially of young adults and young leaders in the diverse southeastern anatolia region of turkey. As a direct result of alumni surveys conducted by diyarbakir development center and hasna, lack of good english language skills was identified as a serious impediment to the development of partnerships throughout the region and the world. The overall objective of the program is to improve the english language skills of leaders in the region who have a key role in the development of their communities so that they may pursue international partnerships to bring the diverse groups of people in the region together. Additionally, the program resulted in the creation of a group of trainers who have continued to conduct english language programs to reach diverse groups of people in the region. English language training for women entrepreneurs:in 2012, hasna expanded the english language education program to include preliminary language training for the women entrepreneurs participating in the entrepreneurship beyond borders program. For this phase of the program, hasna teamed up with kamer, a women's organization in diyarbakir and the development center. The main goal of the training was to increase english language comprehension for thirteen women entrepreneurs, and to provide various resources for future knowledge attainment. The training focused on daily activities, as well as verb conjugation, vocabulary for daily use with an emphasis on speaking, listening, and group activities. Overall, the participants improved their english language skills and gained confidence as they were reintroduced to english by two native english speakers. The program was held september 3rd through 28th, 2012 in diyarbakir. Distance education through advancing agriculture and building relationships:farmers throughout the region of diyarbakir, in southeastern turkey, face numerous obstacles to competing in turkey's produce market. Diseases, pests, and adverse climactic conditions prevent farmers from reaching their full potential. While many turkish agricultural experts are knowledgeable about these challenges, there is a widespread lack of communication between specialists in the laboratories and farmers in the fields. Since 2001, hasna has carried out or supported 13 water and agriculture programs in turkey, working directly with local organizations and agricultural associations. Distance education is one way to bridge this information gap and help connect farmers directly to agricultural expertise. Hasna's distance education program brought together a diverse group of turkish vegetable farmers, agricultural specialists, and researchers with professors from the university of maryland to find solutions to production problems facing farmers in the region. The program used distance education methods to develop ongoing relationships between farmers, university faculty, and research institutions. In this way, hasna's program facilitates ongoing links between individuals, institutions, and resources in the united states and turkey. The distance education program consisted of five sessions in 2012, with new rounds anticipated for 2013, at which time the diverse group of farmers as well as public and private stakeholders will engage in dialogue.

armenia:beginning in 2011-2012, hasna launched its armenian-turkish peacebuilding initiative that aims to improve relations between armenian and turkish communities through professional relationships and meaningful dialogue. Kicking the initiative off on april 12th, 2012, hasna's event armenian-turkish reconciliation: where we are now & where we need to go brought together over 100 attendees interested in building better futures for the armenian and turkish peoples to hear from dr. Omer taspinar from the brookings institution. Hasna's current organizational composition - which includes board members and staff members from both turkish and armenian backgrounds - puts hasna at the forefront of efforts to address the conflict and make peace building a priority. In the autumn of 2011, hasna launched two armenian-turkish programs that combine the skill development and relationship-building model we have successfully implemented with partners in turkey and in cyprus. Through training on the ground and in the u. S. Capital, hasna is building sustainable bridges across conflict lines that will help residents improve their communities last long after tensions are gone. Our participants and partners from both countries are the hope for the future of the region. Crafting peace:armenian and turkish communities in the border region suffer disproportionately from the socioeconomic effects of the strained relations between the two countries. Nevertheless, the border communities share a common cultural heritage which unites both sides. This joint heritage, manifested most visibly in regional architecture, is preserved daily by turkish and armenian stonemasons. Through the armenian-turkish stonemasonry cooperation project, hasna empowered the 13 turkish and armenian participants by providing a platform for them to share expertise and gain crucial technical and collaboration skills. Participants took part in in-depth trainings and at the close of 2012 are in the process of organizing conferences to share what they have learned and to train others. Entrepreneurship beyond borders: empowering turkish and armenian women entrepreneurs:hasna's entrepreneurship beyond borders: empowering armenian and turkish women entrepreneurs program took place in washington, dc between october 1st and 12th, 2012. The program trained ten women: five from gyumri, armenia and five from kars and diyarbakir, turkey. The program was carried out in cooperation with two non-profit organizations: kamer based in diyarbakir, turkey and shirak competitiveness center based in gyumri, armenia. The first week of training focused on effective communications training provided by the center for dispute settlement and was supplemented with several sessions on the fundamentals of founding a business and a workshop on how to manage a work process. The primary purpose of the first week was for the participants to solidify a foundation of effective communication skills to use with one another throughout the program and to become familiar with the fundamental aspects of successful business management from inception. The second week of the program built upon the communication training from the first week and focused on the two human aspects of business: marketing and public relations, and the management of human resources. These sessions were designed to meet the needs of the women working as entrepreneurs in small, traditional communities, placing emphasis on being creative with the resources the women have available. For example, they learned about managing human resources, in both formal offices and unconventional settings such as home office environments, where work space may be used for other purposes. The week ended with the participants designing joint business ventures that they are currently pursuing.