A feminine truck driver who carried aid provides from France to Türkiye after the pair of devastating earthquakes that hit the nation’s southeastern area final month desires to indicate that girls can achieve any job.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Gülfem Zengin shared her experiences in the course of the 4 years she has been within the historically male-dominated occupation and her battle towards prejudice.
Born within the French metropolis of Lyon, Zengin stated she initially confronted criticism for pursuing such a job and was advised she ought to prioritize marriage and beginning a household, as a substitute. As time handed, nevertheless, this criticism was appreciation.
Over 4 years, Zengin has pushed throughout 16 nations and lined a distance of 600,000 kilometers (about 373,000 miles). “There is no one in my family who does this job. I loved trucks. I had set my mind on being a driver. I don’t just consider it as a job. It has become an addiction for me,” she stated.
Acknowledging that her job is difficult and rigorous, the 24-year-old added that regardless of the day by day dangers and difficulties of transporting heavy cargo, she finds pleasure in her work.
She pressured that working as a truck driver signified that girls can excel in any occupation. “This or every other occupation, cleaner, cashier, workplace workers. I need to present that girls can do any job, it doesn’t matter what occupation. I intention to indicate {that a} girl can stand on her personal toes. It would not matter whether or not the wage is kind of. Women want to have the ability to stand on their very own toes,” Zengin stated.
Mourning with earthquake survivors
Zengin stated she traveled alone for 4 days and lined a distance of 4,300 kilometers, carrying tons of aid provides, together with clothes, blankets, meals, pet meals and drugs, which have been collected by the Turkish-French Friendship Society and transported it to the southern Kahramanmaras province after the earthquakes final month.
“A driver and truck have been urgently being sought. When I heard about that, I reached out to the Turkish-French Friendship Society and we took motion. I took off with out pondering of the expense.
“When I saw Turkish trucks on the road, I followed them. I stopped where they stopped and continued where they continued. My body is in France now, but my heart is still with earthquake victims,” she stated, recounting her journey.
Zengin’s efforts to ship much-needed help to the earthquake victims have been warmly welcomed. “I received really nice, motivating messages. This made me very proud.”
The 7.7 and seven.6 magnitude earthquakes struck 11 Turkish provinces – Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Elazig, Hatay, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa, claiming greater than 50,000 lives. Over 13.5 million folks in Türkiye have been affected by the quakes, in addition to many others in northern Syria.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
