Pınar Ural

Amed- Turkey is in 10th place among 104 countries that are ranked in the top for the highest unemployment rate. It is in third place among 37 countries members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The official unemployment rate hit a record high. Because of the pandemic, people are struggling with hunger. As people keep their life struggle, the ruling power shows unemployment rates in the pink table and says; “Inflation has declined”. But the figures never show daily life. 

"She doesn’t expect to have a good future"

40-year-old Leyla Aslan lives in Amed along with her three children. She is one of those who are not optimistic. “We have difficulties to make ends meet.  We cannot meet our needs. We think about what we can eat. I don’t expect to have a good future,” says Leyla.

Leyla Aslan, who was married at the age of 18 to someone 30 years older than her as the second wife, has struggled for living alone for 17 years. After the death of her husband, she began to work as a baby sitter, cook, and domestic worker.

“I work for a company as a part-time worker and I earn 500 TL. My two daughters are paid an orphan's pension total of 200 TL. I totally earn 2,700 TL per month. I pay 500 TL for the natural gas bill, 180 TL for the electric bill, 60 TL for the water bill. The maintenance charge for our flat is 160TL. I give 800 TL to my daughter going to university. I pay 800 TL for the educational cost of my other daughter. Every month, I spend 2,500 TL on bills and educational costs. Fortunately, we don’t need to pay house rent. Well, what will we eat and drink for a month? How can we leave a good future for our children?

Together with Leyla Aslan, we left her workplace and head towards her home. There were clouds in the sky and it looked like it was going to rain. We walked fast and talked about her life. Before going to her home, she wanted to buy vegetables. She had 100 TL and tried to do her shopping for a week. She bought carrots, potatoes, onions, eggs, cabbage, leeks, apples, and oranges and she paid 90 TL. 

“You go to the market, you see many things but you cannot buy. We used to buy everything by paying 40-50 TL. Now we can only buy several things. A kilo of meat is 70 TL. Just imagine what you will do if you have a big family.  Don’t poor people deserve to eat? They cannot make ends meet.”