Seasonal agricultural workers are an instrumental yet overlooked part of the labor force sustaining Türkiye’s food system. Each year, 3 – 5 million of them travel across the country, with two-thirds facing persistent barriers to clean water amid harsh conditions.
In Ankara alone, over 20,000 workers settle from May to October in tent areas across districts like Ayaş, Bala, Beypazarı, Kahramankazan, Polatlı, Sincan and Şereflikoçhisar. In Şereflikoçhisar, for example, 6,098 people including 3,555 children live in 736 tents without access to fresh water.
These numbers are likely even higher today.
This crisis leads to dehydration, infections, and serious sanitation issues. Children suffer from skin conditions and developmental problems. Women and girls face menstrual hygiene challenges, privacy concerns and safety risks.
This project is the result of six months of fieldwork, involving a process of staying as a guest for three nights, sleeping there, sharing meals, and engaging with the community in the tent city where I work as a photographer. This approach has allowed me to build stronger connections with the residents and gain a deeper understanding of their challenges. As a photographer, I used visual storytelling to shed light on the lives of seasonal workers facing persistent barriers to fresh water especially women and children living on the margins of urban centers.
I believe that a photo edit should align with the geography being portrayed and the general character of the people within the project. When this harmony is achieved, the narrative power of the images increases, complementing the photographs taken. This geography is primarily defined by harsh light, where contrast is much more pronounced as a result. It’s not just the light; the people’s characters in this region are also vivid and contrasting. Their emotions are intense, fluctuating, and expressed boldly, much like the identities and political climate of this geography. Therefore, I believe photo edits should reflect this spirit, and I have edited them accordingly.
