MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Semsûr (Adıyaman)- In Semsûr, where the February 6 earthquakes left thousands of people homeless, the only source of living for the people is tobacco. The earthquake survivors living in tents have begun to plant tobacco next to their tents in order to earn a living. Fatma Ekmen is one of them. Stating that they have no other source of living than tobacco, she said that they will earn a living by growing and selling tobacco.

Fatma Ekmen has stayed in a tent city since her house in the Cumhuriyet neighborhood collapsed in the February 6 earthquakes. The Zülfikar Yılmaz tent city was built by the people of the neighborhood. She has planted tobacco in a field next to the tent city.

She earns a living by growing and selling tobacco

Emphasizing that tobacco is their only source of living, Fatma Ekmen said, “We were helpless after the earthquake. Those who had cars stayed in their cars but we stayed outside for days. Now, we stay in a tent. We think about what we should do now and what will happen in the future. We first plowed this field and then planted tobacco. Now, we are watering the field. After the plants grow, we will harvest tobacco leaves and then dry them.”

‘Life goes on’

“Life goes on despite everything,” Fatma Ekmen said, “We have to work and earn a living. We cannot stay in tents all day without doing nothing. After doing daily chores, I work in the field. Women always work non-stop. I work here for myself and my children. After drying tobacco leaves, we will sell them to buy food.”