“My father is my hero. He has always told me about how hardworking he is, and how lucky he has been. He started from scratch; he didn’t have anything. He made money, he bought the house, and then he bought a shop. He was a tailor and did this for many years. He was a very good one.

He didn’t have the chance to receive an education. He was really wise and open-minded, and every time I told him something, he surprised me. It was like talking to someone who had travelled, who was very educated, and I don’t know where he got all this knowledge. In eastern Turkey, families are very traditional. They always tell you what is OK and what is not OK. One day, I told my dad I had started going to church to learn, and he was like, ‘Very good, go there and learn.’ Other fathers would have been like, ‘Don’t go to church, just go to the mosque,’ things like that. He is truly an inspiration. He always encourages me to do the things I want to do. He is definitely my hero.”