Turkey's Changemakers: A bowl of soup, a hope

Ayşe Tükrükçü became the second Changemaker of the seventh season of the Sabancı Foundation Turkey’s Changemakers Program, which shares the unique stories of extraordinary people who contribute to social development. 

“Soup Kitchen for the Homeless” project began about a year ago under the leadership of Ayşe Tükrükçü. As part this project, Tükrükçü cooks soup every day at the Şefkat-Der Home for the Homeless, while the soup is collaboratively served to around 170 homeless people living around the neighborhood of Taksim. 

Born as a daughter of an expatriate family, Tükrükçü survived incest rape at the age of 9. She was forced to work in brothels by her husband and lived on the streets for a period. After all these experiences, to support those living on streets, she started to serve soup to the homeless as a Şefkat-Der volunteer. Tükrükçü continues to make a difference everyday with her active volunteer work. 

Based on her own life story, Tükrükçü tried to touch the lives of the homeless. Without despising a bowl of soup, she helped them day and night. She has made a huge difference both in her world and in the lives of thousands of homeless people living in Istanbul.