Roma women living in Türkiye's northwestern city of Edirne have been learning to read and write in a literacy course at a social solidarity centre.

Many courses were opened for the Roma people at the Sehit Mustafa Tezgider Social Solidarity Centre in Barutluk Neighbourhood. Those notably include literacy courses to help make their lives, jobs and transactions easier.

Edirne Deputy Governor Zafer Karamehmetoglu said that many courses, especially those intended to facilitate Roma people to join the workforce, have been opened in social solidarity centres in the city.

"Many of our courses are continuing. There’s major interest in our Qur’an courses. Children attend music courses. We also offer handicrafts and hairdressing courses,” according to Karamehmetoglu.

At the end of the courses, the participants receive certificates as well.

“We want them to learn art, improve their knowledge and experience, and live a more educated life," said the deputy governor.

65-year-old Neziha Ors, who has four children and eight grandchildren, is among those who attended the literacy course. For her, life had been challenging since she didn’t know how to read or write.

Ors highlighted that she had a lot of difficulty when she went to the hospital. She would often ask for help from others when she took a number to get in line with the other patients or while looking for the doctor's room.

"We don't understand anything because we are illiterate. There is no age for reading. Everyone should learn to read no matter how old they are. I want this from the bottom of my heart," Ors said.

44-year-old Nihal Ocak, a mother of two, expressed that she was delighted to own a pen and notebook after years.

Emphasising that she was sad because she couldn't attend school before, Ocak said, "We could not go to school due to ignorance. I'm very angry with myself because of that. Since I regret not going to school, I make sure that my children do."

“I fed and clothed my children at my own expense, and sent my daughter to university. I borrowed money from time to time, I couldn't even cook food, but I educated my children,” she said.

Yildiz Fırtına also expressed that she had been struggling due to her illiteracy for years, also stating that Roma people have problems in education and school attendance.

"We go to Qur'an courses in the morning and come to literacy courses in the afternoon. I have children and grandchildren and I encourage them at an early age," Firtina said.