Türkiye Sürdürülebilir İnsani Yardım ve Eğitim Vakfı (TÜRSİYEV), in collaboration with the Hatay Metropolitan Municipality, is implementing an innovative environmental and development model that has not been applied in Turkey before. Launched in 2025 and with its first phase now complete, the “Rehabilitation of the Asi River and Kırıkhan Gölbaşı Lake and Contribution to the Local Economy through the Recycling of Water Hyacinths Project” brings together ecosystem management, women employment and empowerment, and sustainable production, aiming to secure a sustainable future for the region.

Invasive water hyacinths spreading rapidly in the Asi River and Kırıkhan Gölbaşı Lake create a visual spectacle but cause significant damage to the ecosystem. Covering the water’s surface, water hyacinths disrupt the oxygen balance and threaten fishing and all aquatic life. Even the smallest piece of the plant can sprout again, making the threat permanent. This situation affects not only the Asi River and Kırıkhan Gölbaşı Lake, but also the Mediterranean Sea into which the water flows. Based on this situation, the “Rehabilitation of the Asi River and Kırıkhan Gölbaşı Lake and Contribution to the Local Economy through the Recycling of Water Hyacinths Project” has been launched, positioning itself as a hope for the region that will touch the environment, health, women, children, and the economy.

Under the leadership of TÜRSİYEV and in collaboration with Hatay Metropolitan Municipality, this project combines environmental improvement with social benefit, bringing environmental sustainability and social development together under one roof. Ecosystem management, women’s employment, and sustainable production come together as an exemplary model in Turkey and the region. By applying physical control methods against invasive water hyacinths, the controlled harvesting of plants and their processing without harming the environment aims not only to improve the environment but also to provide high socio-economic benefits. The project also aims to contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage by supporting the continuation of traditional production methods unique to Hatay, a culture of living in harmony with nature, and handicraft practices specific to the region.

The Switzerland-based MSC Foundation and CSD Foundation provide resources for all stages of the project, while the Turquoise Coast Environmental Fund (TCEF), Conservation Collective, Türkiye Mozaik Foundation, Support Foundation for Civil Society and Turkish Philanthropy Funds  are responsible for planning and implementing educational activities and raising environmental awareness. lskenderun Women Entrepreneurs Council of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey is also among the project supporters, focusing on the economic and social empowerment of women and sustainability awareness.

“Environmental threat from invasive water hyacinths turns into social benefit”

The first phase of the project, which aims to sustainably improve the ecosystems of the Asi River and Kırıkhan Gölbaşı Lake and is positioned as an exemplary initiative implementing the European Green Deal and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, has been completed. In the project, where the harvesting of water hyacinths has begun with special vehicles and equipment in collaboration with the Hatay Metropolitan Municipality, the collected plants are being prepared for recycling in drying and cleaning areas. The cleaning, drying, and storage of water hyacinths are carried out in the workshop established by TÜRSİYEV in the area allocated by the municipality.

Training aimed at increasing employment opportunities and economically empowering women has begun, delivered by expert trainers in collaboration with the Hatay Metropolitan Municipality Public Education Directorate, with support from the Turquoise Coast Environmental Fund (TCEF), Conservation Collective, Türkiye Mozaik Foundation, Support Foundation for Civil Society and Turkish Philanthropy Funds

The collected invasive water hyacinths will be recycled into natural raw materials rather than left to rot in nature. Thus, an environmental threat will be turned into an economic opportunity, and the harvested water hyacinths will be transformed into functional handmade products through training programs created for women. With this project, in which women will process water hyacinths to produce baskets and decorative products, an invasive plant will be transformed into added value through the labor of Hatay women, providing income for households and contributing to the region’s redevelopment. Additionally, TÜRSİYEV aims to evaluate different uses for water hyacinth, not only for decorative objects but also for animal feed and natural fertilizer production. This strengthens the project’s zero-waste vision while implementing an exemplary model that combines environmental circularity and sustainable production in Hatay.

“Hatay’s water hyacinths will be introduced to the world through women’s labor”

Sharing her views on the project, Aylin Uçkunkaya, Chair of the TÜRSİYEV Board of Directors, said, “The Asi River and Kırıkhan Gölbaşı Lake face serious environmental and socioeconomic threats due to the rapid spread of invasive water hyacinths and increasing pollution. Protecting the Asi River, the second richest basin in the Mediterranean ecosystem in terms of endemic fish species, is also critically important for the region’s unique biological diversity. Damage to the sewage infrastructure after the earthquake, low rainfall levels, and increased waste loads have seriously increased pollution levels in both the river and lake ecosystems, threatening not only aquatic life but also public health. Furthermore, the Asi River’s direct flow into the Mediterranean Sea has negative effects on marine ecosystems. The cleanup efforts carried out by the Hatay Metropolitan Municipality have revealed that physical intervention alone is not sufficient to solve the problem; a long-term, comprehensive, and sustainable ecosystem restoration model is needed. In this context, the water hyacinth training course, launched in collaboration with the Public Education Center and relevant public institutions and organizations, offers an innovative development model that transforms environmental cleanup efforts into value-added production, providing employment for women, revitalizing the local economy, and supporting social transformation,” highlighting the importance of the project.

Uçkunkaya emphasized that the transformation of water hyacinths into raw materials through recycling, and the subsequent conversion of these raw materials into handicrafts through women’s labor, would serve as a powerful example of healing both nature and society. “Design and production training provided to women will support the transfer of knowledge across generations by encouraging children to participate in the process while preserving the local craft culture,” she said. The fibers of water hyacinths, which have a high water-carrying capacity, have been used for many years in Asia and South America in products such as paper, textiles, mats, and baskets. We aim to create a similar transformation in Hatay. We are also planning strategies for marketing recycled products. This project, carried out in Hatay, which was severely damaged by the earthquake, will not only be an environmental solution but also a story of rebirth that strengthens social resilience,” she said.

“The Lake’s Breathing Space Will Be an Innovative Hope for Hatay”

The Asi River is home to a great biological diversity, not only for birds but also for fish species. The African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), which is heavily consumed by the local population, and Capoeta barroisi (Zerzuri), an endemic species unique to Hatay, are of critical importance for both the ecosystem and the regional economy. Therefore, the cleanup efforts carried out in the lake and river will also provide a great opportunity for the protection of fish populations and sustainable fishing activities. At the same time, with the project that will revive the natural structure of the lake, the area where 194 bird species have been identified will become a safer stopover point for migratory birds, in addition to underwater life.