Turkish district offers free services to residents

By Busra Nur Ozcan

BURSA, Turkey (AA) - A Turkish district located in a mountainous area has been providing a number of services to its residents for free.

The municipality of Orhaneli, some 56 kilometers (34.7 miles) away from northwestern Bursa's city center, offers basic necessities -- such as Turkish baths, toilets, parking, hospital transport, guest houses and laundry services -- particularly to students, soldiers and the needy.

Orhaneli Mayor Irfan Tatlioglu told Anadolu Agency they are providing the free services as the income of the majority of residents was below average.

Tatlioglu said: "The Turkish baths are free of charge. Whoever wants to bathe comes in get themselves. Doing laundry in Orhaneli is also free. Back in my student days the most difficult task for me was washing clothes, there were no washing machines back then.

"When we established a vocational school in 2005 we bought six or seven washing machines to establish two laundromats... We wash and deliver clothes for both students and the poor," he said.

Tatlioglu noted that they built a new hospital 700-800 meters away from the town center, adding: "We wanted patients, the elderly, the youth and everyone to get to the hospital with no transportation costs and arranged bus services from the center to the hospital.

"By making such modest things free, we are trying to make life easier in our town. We are trying to serve citizens better."

In Orhaneli, there is also a free guest house service which is offered to anyone looking for a place to stay.

Speaking of the hospitality of residents of the district, Tatlioglu said: "If you go any of our villages people will take you in, serve you food and drinks, give you shelter and ask for nothing in return. "

"We carried this hospitality to our district [town center]. This culture should also be carried to cities. Poor people in cities should also be fed, no one should sleep with an empty stomach.

"These things don't even cost much, and it can be done if we are really willing. This is a tradition of our ancestors," he added.

Husniye Tamur, one of the residents of the district who came to the laundromat said the town supports its residents in every way.

"People with lower economic status, students, and soldiers are able to do their laundry here,” she added, praising the municipality's works.