Selvi Kılıçdaroğlu: 'Children's problems are problems of each of us'

Click to read the article in Turkish

Evrim Kepenek from bianet accompanied Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's wife, Selvi Kılıçdaroğlu and her team on her visit to Çatalca and interviewed her. 

The first question Kepenek asked Kılıçdaroğlu was about her house because during the two-day program she had heard many women asking, "Is their kitchen really like that? Is the rest of their house similar?

"Yes, the rest of our house is also similar"

"Yes, our kitchen is like that, as they see in the videos. I sometimes change the places of some kitchenware while the program is being shot. Because once there was a cooking tool and it ended up being an issue on social media. Otherwise, yes, our kitchen is that. The rest of our house is also similar. How different can it be? We live a life similar to many people in this country. And we wanted to live that way also."

"My dream is to pass Mr. Kemal"

We also talked about our Martenitsas: We are hopeful

"You mentioned social media… There is a great interest in you on social media. How are the reactions, the comments?"

“Yes, the moment I had social media accounts I started to get many followers. People share my posts or make comments. Our friends help me with it but we share what I feel like saying. My friends are informing me that I do not have more followers than Mr. Kemal (Kılılçdaroğlu) but the interactions are many. My target is to overpass Mr. Kemal in the number of followers (She smiles).

"Let us now talk about the "Nutrition Hour"  project that brought you here after Trabzon and Rize... I learned that you have been supporting the project from the very start. Can you tell us about the project?"

Yes, when the Beylikdüzü Mayor came with this project, I found it very important. It still is. The most important problem in Turkey is poverty. Children can not be happy when women are not happy. Women suffer from poverty the most. Maybe not herself, but if her child is not full, if she cannot feed her child, that woman cannot be happy."

"People discuss this as if it is a very political issue. This problem surpasses all political parties. But every issue is politicized in the country, we cannot think of any problem apart from politics. I do not like speaking about politics so much, but I know that the problems of women and children are the problems of all of us."

An earthquake victim woman told you about what they have gone through and you were very sorry. How do you feel about it?

"I am so sorry. People faced great injustices. Many people could have been rescued. They were abandoned. So many days have passed since the earthquakes but I do not think that the necessary steps have been taken. And yes I am very sorry. And I want all of these to change after May 14. 

Change of governments follow change of local administrations

Kılıçdaroğlu also said, "What I saw in my visits was that it can result in great changes even if you can make people ask why. But I am hopeful for the future. I believe that things have to change. And I also feel that we are finally there. The governments usually change after the local administrations change. I believe that this will be what we experience. The women and the children of this land deserve to live the coming of the spring.

Martenitsa

Photo: Typical Martenitsa (Wikipedia)

Martenitsa is a traditional Balkan wristband and is regarded as a herald of spring. It is worn in March and people believe that it brings good luck.

In the first video he posted as the presidential candidate, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was sitting in his kitchen, with a glass of tea in front of him, and wearing a Martenitsa on his wrist, which attracted remarkable attraction on social media.

 (EMK/PE)