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A vocational teacher born in Malatya turned a home experiment into a growing chocolate brand with support from a European Union program that aims to expand women’s employment in Türkiye.
Nihal Sevilmen’s story offers a look at how small enterprises benefit when women receive financial and institutional backing.
Her business began with the idea of adding value to apricots, mulberries and pomegranates grown in her family garden. She started to combine fruit with high-cocoa dark chocolate.
“Chocolate is the diamond of the food industry,” she says. She opened a small shop in 2016 and built a brand around vegan, high-cocoa recipes inspired by Anatolian civilizations.
Her Aslantepe, Ivriz and Belen collections now form the core of a daily output of around 1,500 chocolates.
Things took a sad turn when a serious traffic accident placed Nihal Sevilmen's workshop at risk and forced her to seek support.
A customer told her about WOMEN UP, a program co-financed by the EU and Türkiye and implemented by the Social Security Institution. The project encourages women-owned businesses to hire women through wage support.
Nihal says she was unsure about taking on an employee, but WOMEN UP eased the financial strain and encouraged her to bring in a new team member, Ayten Yavuz.
“It was such an enormous support, both financially and morally,” she said.
For Ayten, the job became her first registered position, and she said, "Being insured makes me feel safe, as I know my future and my children’s future are more secure."
She describes the workshop as a place where she feels part of a family.
Nihal says she has seen the program benefit many others. “These projects are so valuable because they don’t just help one woman; they create ripples,” she says.
Nihal now works with her daughter Sezin and Ayten to produce chocolate infused with Anatolian flavors, and visitors often comment on the aroma inside the workshop.
“Chocolate relaxes us. It brings joy,” she said.
Jurgis Vilcinskas, Acting Head of the Delegation of the EU to Türkiye, says the initiative aims for a broader social impact.
“Women’s economic participation is vital for inclusive growth and social resilience,” he said. “Through projects like WOMEN UP, the EU is proud to support women entrepreneurs who not only build successful businesses but also empower others along the way.”
The program has supported over 11,000 women through the involvement of over 9,000 women employers.
Both phases covered the wages of a female staff member up to the net amount of the minimum wage.
Phase II was completed by the Social Security Institution in November 2025.
The project received the Award of Merit at the European Social Security Forum in Portugal.
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