Rojbin Kaçan / JINHA

MÊRDÎN - Suphiye Tekin (45) began to knit handicrafts in Kızıltepe when she was 13 years old. She stated that the people pay less attention to her knitting handicrafts compare to past and she asked women to protect the knitting handicrafts.

Suphiye Tekin (45) has stand on her own legs by knitting handicrafts in the Kızıltepe district of Mardin for 25 years. She has provided economic support to her family and met the needs of her children by knitting handicrafts. Suphiye told us her life story, "I began to knit the handicrafts when I was 13 years old. My mother was angry with for knitted the handicrafts. She told me that you were small, if you began to knit now, you'll have to knit even if I don't want. So, I knit secretly in order to my mother wasn't angry to me. My family didn't send me to school. I am bored when I stay doing nothing, so I began to knit. I learned how to knit and how to read and write without going to school.

"I continued to knit after I got married to provide economic support to my family and meet the needs of my chidren. I knit dress for the babies, ornamentals around the towels and scarfs. I can use point lace. I sell my handicrafts to people. I also knit to order."

Suphiye's husband jailed and she had difficult time when her husband was in jail. Suphiye said, "I didn't have money to buy milk to my children. I met a Turkish woman when I went to visit my husband in the prison. She told me she sewed shoes and I could sew shoes if I wanted. I began to sew the shoes. I could buy milk to my children with the money I earned from sewing shoes. I met my husband's needs when he was in prison. I must be a good model for my children. I showed my children that the women also can work.

"If women believe themselves, they can do everything. They just need to try."

(dk/gd)