Şirvan Sour: Fresh Fish Bread by the Sea!
Şirvan has been engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry since her childhood. After her marriage, she worked in the fields and took care of her cows at home. She made butter and çökelek from the milk of her cows and sold them on order, thus contributing to the household economy.
“I have been engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry since my childhood, I have always worked.”
Due to her husband’s health problems, she had to leave the construction business. She bought a boat to work at sea, but as her health deteriorated, she could not continue this work either. During this period, Şirvan was the sole breadwinner. However, her income from farming and animal husbandry was insufficient. Looking for a way out, Şirvan offered to sell fish bread to his wife.
“It was very difficult to support the household with only animal husbandry and farming. My husband could not work, I had to do something. I offered to sell fish bread by utilizing my boat. My wife asked, ‘Can you do it?’ I said, ‘I can’.”
So she started the fish bread business. Although she gave up animal husbandry to focus on this business, she continued farming. However, since the fish bread business was seasonal, she returned to the field in the winter months and continued to work.
After the February 6 earthquakes, her business came to a complete halt. But after a few months, her customers started coming to her and asking her to reopen her business.
“At that time, there was no place to eat in Hatay. It was either destroyed or closed. When we opened our business, people started coming. Especially those who came to support us in Hatay visited us a lot.”
With her involvement in MaviKalem’s program, she developed her business with umbrellas, which made a big difference in her business. She continues her business with delicious fish breads on Sahil Caddesi Samandağ with a wider customer base.
“Thanks to the umbrellas, I can now serve more customers and offer them a comfortable space. It also makes them spend longer time on the beach and they are happy.”
Şirvan’s biggest goal is to sustain her business and increase her customer base. Also, as a woman who stands on her own feet, she wants to encourage women who want to work!
