JINHA

DERSİM - Leyla Akyıldız has interest in handicrafts since she was a child. She has made ornaments and jewelry by painting the stones collected from riverside of Munzur.

Women those who disconnected from working life by masculine mentality have created their working areas by turning their talents into production. Leyla Akyıldız is one of them. Leyla, who lives in Dersim, has earned her keep by selling her handicrafts in her own shop. She has done this work for 30 years and her work becomes a part of her life. She sells her products in her souvenir shop named "Roy". Leyla gives shape the stone which she collects from riverside of Munzur. She decorates with paint these stones and sells them in the shop.

Leyla has dealed with this work in the Public Education Centres and cooperatives for years. Leyla said, "Women both reveal their abilities and discover the nature, colors and shade with the handicrafts. You don't drift away from the nature by doing this work. You learn how you can use the nature without destroy it. I love the nature and for this reason, I take care of nature when I go to riverside of Munzur."

Leyla said that she makes the people happy with her products and forge a link between the people and nature. She said, "The prices of ready to use products are high. I don't produce my products just to sell; today people are so disconnected from nature for this reason, I want to bring the people together with nature."

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