Safiye Ali

Safiye Ali was born in lstanbul. Her mother, Hasene, was the daughter of Şeyhülharem Hacı Emin Pasha. Her father Ali Kırat Pasha served Sultan Abdülaziz and Abdülhamid II.[5] Her grandfather, Hacı Emin Pasha, from Damascus, was the sheik of Mecca for 17 years and is the founder of five foundations in Mecca that still teach students.[6]

In 1916, she graduated from Arnavutköy American College for Girls. She was sent to the University of Würzbug (Julius-Maximilians-Universität) at Würzbug. During her studies, she took lessons in philosophy and history. [4]

The Bavarian Ministry of Education of Germany did not initially issue the paper to take the Physicum exam (the first examination of medicine) due to her being a graduate of the American College. Despite the issues, she managed to take the exam in 1918. She wrote her thesis titled "Über Pachymeningitis haemorrhagica interna im Säuglingsalter (Bebeklerde İç Pakimenenjit Kanaması Hakkında)" and graduated in 1921. She became a physician and went back to Istanbul. She returned to Germany to specialize in gynecology and pediatrics. She married her husband, Dr. Ferdinand Krekeler, who later adopted the name of Ferdi Ali.[4]

In June 1923, in Turkey, Safiye Ali obtained her license as the first female doctor. She opened her first practice in Cağaloğlu. She advertised herself in the newspapers like other doctors of her time.

When she began, she had difficulty obtaining patients. Wealthy women did not trust her work as a doctor because she was a woman. Poor women would seek her services, but they did not want to pay the full visit fee for a female physician. There was no support in the medical community either. In response to those who wished to pay a lower visit fee, she charged the same as her male colleagues. Exceptions were made for patients who were unable to pay, but Safiye Ali fought for "equal pay for equal work".[4]

Safiye Ali was the first female lecturer to teach medicine to girls by giving gynecology and obstetrics lessons at the first girls' medical school established within the American College.[4]

Safiye Ali resigned from Süt Damlası, as she was treated unfairly by her colleagues. This situation was met with great sorrow by her patients. Women organized protests, first in front of the Hilal-Al-Ahmar society, and then in front of the house of Fuat Bey, who was appointed to replace her. Against her rivals, who claimed that she was the organizer of these protests, Ali reiterated that these allegations were ridiculous and that the issue was produced by male doctors who begrudge the success of women, and she would not withdraw her resignation. At the height of her career, she was blocked from helping her patients.[4]

Ali was repeatedly harassed by her male colleagues and was tried to be silenced by the accusations made against her, continuing her struggle. After being diagnosed with cancer, she settled in Germany. She continued her services there, despite her illness during the years of World War II. She died at 58 years old, in Dortmund, Germany.[4]

Süt Damlası became effective with Safiye Ali's work on the importance of breastfeeding. She emphasized the superiority of breast milk over all milk and encouraged women to breastfeed. She organized training for malnourished children to have a healthy diet. She also sent nurses to check the implementation of the education, voluntarily without any charge. She also established the Hilal-Al-Ahmar Ladies Center Little Children Practice which resembled Süt Damlası but the ages of the children differed.

Ali was a member of the delegation in the Women's People Party which promoted the active participation of women in politics and emphasized the work to be done in terms of helping children. However, since this party was not allowed to operate, they continued to organize under the name of the Turkish Women's Union.

She served in the Women's Union as the Head of the Health Committee and also worked to fight prostitution. She worked on opening a girls' dormitory for the girls forced into prostitution.[7]

Her name has been given to a family health centre in Istanbul.[8]

On 2 February 2021, Google celebrated her 127th birthday with a Google Doodle.[9]

On 30 November 2022, a street in Dortmund was named after her.