PodcastTurkish market for at-risk women at standstill after lira crash
Turkey's first women-only street market that was founded to help victims of domestic violence and divorcees has enjoyed buoyant trade in its early years but declined in the last two, particularly in the last six months as the lira crash has sent prices soaring and ravaged household budgets.
Reuters - Hazal Tunç and her friends founded Turkey's first women-only street market eight years ago to help victims of domestic violence and divorcees, and it has provided them with jobs and security - until now.
Like organizations and companies across Turkey, the market has seen business shrivel dramatically as a result of a currency crisis in which the lira has lost as much as 48% of its value in the past two months alone.
The market in the mainly Kurdish southeastern province of Diyarbakır enjoyed buoyant trade in its early years but declined in the last two, particularly in the last six months as the lira crash has sent prices soaring and ravaged household budgets.
"Sales have come to a complete standstill. In the past, customers used to buy two kilos of carrots. Now they come and buy three carrots," said Tunç, 46, a mother of three who helped found the market for fruits, vegetables and handicrafts.