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An 82-year-old blind villager in western Türkiye has spent the past 24 years traveling independently between town and countryside thanks to a trusted guide: his donkey.
Living in Manisa province, Raif Kurt rides his donkey, named Magare, along the 2-kilometer (1.24-mile) route between his home in the Kurtulus neighborhood and his field house in the Karaagac area without needing anyone else to accompany him. He said his animal companion has turned into much more than a working animal in his life, describing Magare as his “eyes and ears” on the road.
Kurt was born in Bulgaria in 1943 with a genetic visual impairment. In 1951, his family left behind all their possessions and migrated to Salihli, a district, or sub-province, of Manisa in western Türkiye.
He gradually lost his sight and became completely blind at the age of 20. Despite his disability, he tried to hold on to life by working as a shepherd and as an agricultural laborer.
Throughout his long working life, donkeys have been his main support. For more than 60 years, different animals have helped him move between his home, fields and grazing areas.
He has received help from two donkeys in particular. The latest, which he named Magare – the word for “donkey” in Bulgarian – has been his steady companion for 24 years. After he acquired Magare, he said his life in Salihli became easier, as he could continue to travel alone between the town center and his field house.
Kurt explained that he did not simply climb onto Magare and set off on his own from the first day. At the beginning, he found a child who walked alongside them and guided the animal along the route. For about a month, the child led them back and forth between the house in Kurtulus and the field in Karaagac so the donkey could learn the way.
The route is not always completely safe. Kurt said dogs sometimes rush at the donkey while they are on the road, causing the animal to bolt. When that happens, he can fall off and injure himself. He mentioned that his shoulders still ache after such incidents, yet he continues to ride because Magare allows him to move about without depending on others.
A local resident described the emotional bond between them as similar to a relationship between father and son. He also underlined how important the animal is for the blind villager’s mobility, saying the donkey is effectively his arms and legs and that it now knows the road on its own.
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