Yonca Küçükavcı: A Journey of Love and Perseverance That Began with a Gift Cow

A Life Woven with Sacrifice: Work and Maternal Tenderness

When the February 6 earthquake caused severe damage to Yonca’s home, life came to a standstill for a while. However, she refused to give up, especially for her children. She chose to fight for her children, her home, and her business. The most unique and defining aspect of Yonca’s struggle was her unwavering bond with her special-needs son. While flawlessly managing the demanding tasks of livestock farming on one hand, she lovingly dedicated time to her son’s every need on the other. By spending every penny she earned on her household livelihood and her children’s education, she stood as the ultimate figure of a resilient mother standing tall in the face of adversity.

MaviKalem: From a Broken Machine to a New Hope

One of Yonca’s most desperate moments was when her milking machine broke down, bringing production to a near standstill. Describing her meeting with the MaviKalem Association right during this challenging period as “a great stroke of luck,” Yonca not only improved her business but also brought it up to a modern pace, thanks to the new milking machine and cream separator support provided. With her workload lightened by owning her own machinery, Yonca can now produce much more easily and efficiently.

Flavors Transcending Borders and a Dream for the Future

The dairy products—cheese, curd cheese (çökelek), and butter—that Yonca prepares with great care receive regular demand not only from her neighbors and acquaintances in her neighborhood but also from outside the city through an acquaintance in Mersin. Doing her job with the same enthusiasm and great love as on the first day, Yonca’s greatest wish is to preserve this prosperous routine she has established. She continues to head to her barn every morning with the same determination to offer her children a secure and good future by increasing her production even further.

“When my mother-in-law gave me that first cow, I couldn’t even imagine it would grow this much. My house was shaken in the earthquake, but my hope was not shaken. Now, with my machines, I can both spend more time with my son and build my family’s future with the abundance of my milk.”