Fatih Genel, the governor of Balýkesir´s Havran district, is reaching out to the women of the small village of Çakmak, located in a mountainous region 25 kilometers from Havran, by making their housework quicker and helping them use the resulting free time to learn to read and write.

After visiting the village, which only has 100 homes, Genel said he was very saddened by the sight of the women washing their clothes by hand in the village fountain. Noting that the women wash their clothes at the village fountain whenever there is water, because of water problems in the village, Genel said: "Washing clothes is a daylong affair for these women. We made an agreement with the village women of Çakmak. I am going to set up a laundry room for them and they are going to learn to read and write."

Genel said the project is one step toward resolving some of the problems faced by Çakmak, one of the region´s socially and economically underdeveloped areas.

Genel explained that they will provide free detergent and a place for ironing. "The women will be able to wash their clothes and then iron them. Not only will we be freeing women from a heavy burden, but also giving them the opportunity to wash their clothes in a more hygienic environment." The laundry room will be part of a new building constructed over a 100-square-meter plot of land, of which 20 square meters will be used as a laundry room, while the rest will be devoted to social facilities. The building is expected to be opened in a few months.

Source: http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=166898

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Great news!

Great news indeed....but do men not do laundry too in Turkey?

 god I struggle to get them to do it here!!!!

 Well, in my book, if men don´t want to do their laundry...they wear dirty clothes!

 You don´t do the laundry of your dudu, Aenigma? Poor guy, it´s already such a hard existence, that duduness....

that`s why you`re still single.

 says who?

it gets worse as you keep talking

 LIFE gets worse as YOU keep talking!

 ha ha talking about dirty laundry

 Isn´t there a proverb about not hanging out the dirty laundry....? <whistle>

They should do this in the UK for all women under 20....I notice most are illiterate   Perhaps it may be better to do the lessons in a spray tanning salon rather than a laundry though

nothing to add about the laundry issue...but I am curious what the long term health effects of spray tanning would be. It doesn´t seem like a healthy choice....

 Why stop at 20?  There are plenty of women who would do well from having lessons in laundry techniques rather than spray tanning and nail extensions 

 I thought the lessons were supposed to be in reading and writing - did I miss something?

 Yes but dont they read OK magazine when they are in the salon???

 You know that quite well. Experience, dear?

 heh heh My laundry technique consists of emailing we-pick-up-the-bag-and-bring-it-back-shiny-sparkly-and-new.com

 Well I must admit you are rather an "open book"!

 time I closed it then!!

 Offfffffff this is as boring as soundproofing the Mod´s Lounge

 Heh heh.....don´t worry I´m sure my next dudu will be along soon and "my book" will reopen

 After all the jokes I have re-read this article, and I hope this is a success.  Be great to hear a follow up story.............