Hikmet Tunç

 

VAN - In addition to the economic crisis, the decrease in livelihoods caused by climate change and the water shortage continue to affect women the most.

 

Agriculture and animal breeding are the areas affected by the economic crisis in Turkey and the drought caused by the global climate change. Due to the deepening crisis and increasing fooder prices, in Örenburç (Setmanız), one of the rural neighborhoods of Van’s Saray district, citizens found the solution to selling small cattles, which is their only source of livelihood, and in both cases, the workload of women increased.

 

The workload of women has increased

 

In the neighborhood with a population of about 8000, most of the men went to the metropolises and worked in construction and similar jobs, while women were forced to shoulder the entire daily workload. Some of the women, who have had a hard time due to price increases and water shortages, are preparing for winter, some are at the fountain, and some are taking care of their animals.

 

She will remove the cauldrons

 

Halime Dağgezen, who started to wash the cauldrons lined up alongside at the fountain, then leaves these cauldrons in the sun to dry. Stating that she has been ranching for many years, Halime continues: ‘’Because my children went to construction job outside the city, I could not look after the sheeps. Although it was onerous , I had to sell my sheeps, which I had been getting livelihood for years, due to the increasing fooder prices. Since it is cold in winter and I have been feeding our sheeps in barns for almost six months of the year, we could not get enough fooder. I only have two cows now. These cauldrons are too big for their milk. And I will remove these cauldrons.’’

 

She meets all water needs from the fountain

 

Reyhan Çelebi states that they have to meet all the water they use in their daily lives from the fountain of the neighborhood, and that they form long lines at the fountain at certain hours to meet their daily dishes, laundry and similar needs. Expressing that the laundry accumulates too much due to the small age of her children, Reyhan notes that for this reason she has to go to the fountain at certain times. Reyhan said: ‘’Even though I spend all day doing work, I am happy with my life. I am having a good day. Our work is heavy, but I love it. Since the weather is cold, I protect myself from the cold by wearing thick clothes.’’