The Taraklı Digital Center, established as part of the "Villages of Tomorrow" initiative—a joint project of Trendyol and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)—has successfully completed its first six months of operation. To mark the milestone, representatives from public institutions and members of the press in Sakarya were briefed on the center’s achievements. The initiative, supported locally by the Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SATSO), is designed to foster rural development by bringing technological opportunities to boost production, create employment opportunities, and preserve cultural heritage in Türkiye’s rural regions.
Trendyol, one of Türkiye’s and world’s leading e-commerce platforms, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) came together with representatives of public institutions and members of the press in Sakarya for a special event held at the Taraklı Digital Center. The center, established in Taraklı district of Sakarya as part of the “Villages of Tomorrow” project, welcomed guests at the historic Taraklı Fenerli Konak. The building, began serving as a digital center in November following the restoration activities done in cooperation with Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SATSO), the project’s local partner. Participants were informed about the trainings and activities conducted at the center over its first six months of operation.
Trendyol Group Vice President Sinan Cem Şahin, Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SATSO) Chairman Akgün Altuğ, Ministry of Trade E-commerce Department Head Çağatay Yasin Karaboğa and UNDP Türkiye Resident Representative Monica Merino Domínguez attended the event. Participants were introduced to training programs offered at the center, including digital literacy, digital competencies, artificial intelligence literacy, opening a store on Trendyol platform, sales techniques, e-commerce, effective presentation skills. The center also hosts robotics and coding workshops for children and activities to empower women producers. It was emphasized that approximately 150 individuals have received training at the center so far; with women making up more than half of the participants.
Trendyol Group Vice President Sinan Cem Şahin explained the importance of the project and the activities at the Taraklı Digital Center and said "As Trendyol, we also use our technology and data-driven approach to create social benefit. Our Taraklı Digital Center, which started operations in November, is not only a training and production point; it is also a center that paves the way for women's participation in the economy, prepares young people for tomorrow and blends cultural heritage with technology. The interest we see here shows that sustainable development in rural areas is possible with the right collaborations. We would like to thank UNDP for building Villages of Tomorrow together and Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry for their strong cooperation in Taraklı."
Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SATSO) Chairman Akgün Altuğ characterised the Villages of Tomorrow Project as an initiative that prepares the new generation in Sakarya for the new world and said, "Particularly the utilization of our historical Fenerli Mansion as a center to enable our district, especillay children in our district to reach the new generation technologies, makes the project much more meaningful for us. Preparing our districts with strong historical and cultural heritage such as Taraklı for the future by meeting with technology is a great opportunity for both local development and sustainable development of the region. We believe that this model, which we have put forward together in Sakarya with the strong support of Trendyol and UNDP, will set an example for Türkiye and will be a successful example of digital transformation in local regions."
Çağatay Yasin Karaboğa, Head of E-commerce Department of the Ministry of Trade, stated: "As of 2024, the volume of e-commerce in Türkiye exceeded 3 trillion TL, marking a 274 percent increase in dollar terms between 2019 and 2024. According to 2024 data, 27.2 percent of our tradespeople are women. E-commerce offers significant opportunities for our artisans, small businesses, and women entrepreneurs to access broader markets at lower costs. Trendyol and UNDP's Villages of Tomorrow initiative is an important project that promotes equal opportunities in rural areas. As the Ministry of Trade, we will continue to support such projects that drive digital transformation and contribute to local development."
UNDP Türkiye Resident Representative Monica Merino Domínguez said, "This center shows UNDP Türkiye’s focus on rural development using digital tools. It is an important milestone in our strategic partnership with Trendyol. Through the Villages of Tomorrow Project, we have set up digital centers in rural areas in Adana and İzmir. Sakarya Taraklı is the third location, and we plan to expand these centers across Türkiye. Thanks to Trendyol and our local partner, the Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, for making this center possible. Together, we are making sure technology and opportunities reach rural areas in Taraklı and nearby through this digital center."
Local products that cross borders
The Villages of Tomorrow project empowers local producers to access both domestic and international markets through by transforming their labor into value-added products. Thus, local flavors such as artichokes, jams, pickles, dried fruits and vegetables, sherbet and ravioli, as well as handicraft products such as woodworking, wood burning, amigurumi and cross-stitch, find buyers in national and international markets. By leveraging digital tools, the project provides producers with a sustainable income model and contributes to rural development and the preervation of cultural heritage.
The Villages of Tommorrow Taraklı Digital Center, opened with the local partnership of Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is the third stop of the project. The centers established in Kürkçüler Village in Adana's Sarıçam district in December 2023 and in Ulamış Village in İzmir's Seferihisar district in May 2024 continue their activities. Project aims to reach 10 centers across Türkiye by the end of 2026.
News Date : 12/5/2025