Persistently high inflation triggered by currency depreciation and President Erdogan's abandoned economic policies has left many Turkish families struggling to pay for food and housing. The situation has created what experts describe as a lost generation of children forced to work to help their families.
Among these children is 11-year-old Atakan Sahin, who lives with his siblings and mother Rukiye Sahin, 28, in an impoverished one-room apartment located within one of Istanbul’s poorest neighborhoods. "Look at the state of my children," Rukiye lamented. "I have four children. They don't get to eat chicken, they don't get to eat meat. I send them to school with torn shoes." Around one-third of Turkish children live under similar dire circumstances.
According to a 2023 joint report by UNICEF and the Turkish Statistical Institute, about 7 million of Turkey's 22.2 million children live impoverished lives. It reflects the struggles of families like the Sahins, who often have to deal with inadequate food and housing. Sitting on the floor of their cramped room, the family has little choice but to rely on minimal meals and governmental support.
Atakan, when not playing with his younger siblings, spends his days helping his father scavenge through trash bins to find recyclable materials to earn money. Many children like Atakan earn money for their families by selling miscellaneous items at bars and cafes, often working long hours late at night. "I can't go to school because I have no money," he said candidly. "We have nothing. Can you tell me how I can go?" He explained how he collects plastic and other recyclables with his father during the day.
This extra income is often just enough to buy basic food items and possibly pay for his siblings’ schooling. Yet, even when Atakan can attend school, he struggles without the necessary supplies like shoes, coats, or English textbooks. His family is caught in the jaws of Turkey's cost-of-living crisis, where inflation has been relentless, soaring to 47% recently and peaking at 85% just last year.
Rukiye and her husband receive 6,000 lira ($173) monthly from the government to aid with school expenses. Ironically, the family pays the same amount just for rent. "My son says, 'Mom, it's raining, my shoes are soaking wet.' But what can I do?" she asked. "The state doesn't help me. I'm alone here with my children. Who do I have except them?"
The stark reality of children rummaging through trash to support their families starkly contrasts the image Turkey projects to the world — one of progress and economic growth. During the recent G20 summit, President Erdogan toutly praised Turkey’s social security system as "one of the most comprehensive and inclusive" globally and vowed to eliminate poverty.
But Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek has stated the monthly minimum wage of 17,000 lira ($488) is not low, and efforts are underway to increase it. Despite billions allocated to aid struggling households, high inflation has diluted the effectiveness of such measures. Welfare payments are inadequate to meet the needs of millions who are dependent on them.
With children pushed onto the streets to earn income, volunteers have stepped up to help alleviate some of the desperate conditions. Mehmet Yeralan, 53, collects donations to distribute essentials, including clothes and food staples to the city's most deprived. "Families are in very difficult situations," he noted. "They cannot buy food for their children and send them to school. Children are on the streets, selling tissues to support their families."
Experts, including poverty researcher and activist Hacer Foggo, highlight the harsh realities faced by children opting for vocational programs rather than traditional education. Many of these programs include working for four days with minimal classroom time, translating to meager wages for long hours. "Look at the situation of children," she urged. "Two million of them are in deep poverty. Child labor has become common." Education has become less about learning and more about cheap labor due to these family pressures.
Data indicates Turkey's ranking concerning child poverty is alarmingly low: 38th out of 39 countries analyzed by UNICEF between 2019 and 2021, with child poverty rates at 34%. For Rukiye, these figures are not just statistics. "We can't move forward, we always fall behind. ... When you don't have money, you always fall behind," she lamented. Atakan clings to his childhood dreams, still hopeful. He said, "I want to go to school regularly. I want everything to be in order. … I'd like to be a football player one day, to support my family."
