Various generations of migrants bear witness to a rich past. De Grondleggers tells the story of three generations of Turks in East Flanders. The first of them arrived in Ghent and its surroundings as guest workers in the 1960s and 1970s, and many of them went to work in the road construction sector. The hard work was then often passed on from father to son. Today, a number of Turkish East-Flemish people have their own road works company; as employers, they now hire newcomers themselves. Because the road building sector has thus become part of the heritage of the Turkish community in East Flanders, New Focus vzw talked to three generations of Turkish road workers about their expectations, success stories and obstacles. New Focus vzw collected the stories in cooperation with Volkskunde Vlaanderen vzw, Amsab-ISG and the Federatie van Vooruitstrevende Verenigingen vzw.
New Focus vzw edited the stories into a report and a photo book.
The Founders | a film and photo book by Necmi Tüfekçi. A narrative heritage of 50 years of Turkish migration