MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Amed – With the arrival of spring, we see women selling fresh herbs on the streets. Melek Özdemir is one of them. She has a wheelbarrow and sells the fresh herbs such as cress, mint, and mustard she collected on mountains. Melek wakes up early in the morning to go to districts of Amed (Diyarbakır) such as Hazro and Silvan, “I go to the districts where I can find more herbs. I collect herbs on mountains and wetland areas all day long. In the evening, I put the herbs in my sack and return home,” Melek said.

“I walk the streets to sell the herbs”

Melek told us that her customs are usually women. She works four days a week. In this way, Melek earns her living, “I don’t have a market stall at the market so I cannot sell the herbs at the market. The municipal police don’t allow me to sell the herbs on the streets. They always prevent us. For this reason, I put the herbs in the wheelbarrow and sell them in this way. I walk the streets to sell the herbs. My customs are usually women. I work four days a week. If I don’t work only a day, my family will have nothing to eat.”

“I work and earn my living”

Even if Melek faces many difficulties, she is happy to work and earn her living. “I raise my six children in this way. My husband died so I raise my children alone. As walking the streets to sell the herbs, the customers sometimes complain about the high prices but the highest price is 10 TL. I walk the mountains all day to collect the herbs, and then I wash them and sell them on my wheelbarrow. I get tired but I am happy to earn my living by working. I don’t depend on anyone. When my husband died, everyone thought I would depend on someone but I did. Now, I work and earn my own living.”