86-year-old man makes living by collecting scrap with his donkey, dog

EDİRNE

İlyas Kıvırcık, 86, makes a living by collecting scrap with his donkey "Gülşah" and dog "Çomar" on the streets.

“I earn an average of 10 to 30 per day from the scraps I collect. I also receive an old-age pension from the state. That money is enough for my donkey and my dog,” he said.

Residing in the northwestern province of Edirne, Kıvırcık is the father of 8 children. Kıvırcık, who looks very healthy and vigorous despite his advanced age, stated that he was actually 91 years old and that he was registered late in the registers of persons.

Expressing that he owes his health and vigor to sports, Kıvırcık said, “I started doing sports while I was doing my military service and I never stopped. I run and walk, this is the biggest impact of staying fit. I have never smoked in my life. I lost my wife 20 years ago," he said.

He added that he has 4 girls and 4 boys, the oldest being 67 years old.

"I also have many grandchildren. I collect scraps. I make a living by selling the scraps I collect on the streets. I've been selling scraps I've collected for nearly 30 years," Kıvırcık said.

"I previously worked as a farm laborer in the fields. Donkey is my bread and butter, we are best friends and its name is Gülşah. I take better care of it than myself. I'm used to collecting scrap on the street and it's not hard for me to work. I'm used to working on the streets," he added.