It is Now Time to Weave Networks of Solidarity

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA) / Edirne

Click to read the article in Turkish

We have been going through hard days. We do not know how long it will continue like this. It will surely have economic, social and psychological consequences. But, first, we need to get through these days with as little damage as possible. First of all, we need to take individual protective measures. In addition to this, we can also support another person to stay alive, we can ease the hardships of daily life with mutual help and solidarity.

The needs for healthcare, protection, care and nutrition must, of course, essentially met by the public, with the public funding. But, such wide-scale measures are necessary for this and they also require so much time... For that reason, public-civilian cooperation is getting more important today, as it is the case in all great disasters.

What can we do? With whom can we join forces? Cannot we all form civilian initiatives wherever we are by thinking and planning all these? Especially in these days when a curfew has been imposed on the ones 65 years and older, we can form small support groups and cooperate with local administrations to meet their most basic needs.

We can form controlled support teams by getting necessary communication-contact information and documents (information such as which households to help, within what scope, paying heed to not act like health workers, providing support without entering houses; and a letter of appointment in the event that the curfew applies to everyone, etc.) and necessary preventive health support from the municipal authorities.

To begin with, we can meet the food, sanitation and hygiene needs of the elderly, we can walk their pets. We can even call them by phone and see how they are doing to ease their loneliness. By doing this, we can both alleviate their concerns and their loved ones living far away. Maybe, we can widen its scope in time and weave networks that will provide the urban poor and migrants with food and cleaning supplies.

Kültürhane: Just an example

Some of us are good with technology. Some of my close friends are also highly skilled in using technology in a target-oriented way.

While we were thinking of forming a little network by using the contact information of Kültürhane*, they have developed a system where the people who can support the ones in need can be shown on a map and those close to each other can be matched. We sent messages to our around 400 followers and asked them if they would like to be a part of this network. We got in contact with local administrations to coordinate it with them.

Since we thought that maybe not all old/poor people did not have smartphones or access to Internet, in the later stage, we started thinking through simpler means of communication. Just as the ones who are in need of help and support in France attract attention by putting something red on their windows... Ours is just an example. If we think about it, we can find what else is necessary and how we can meet these needs.

There are things that can be done between the two ends of the spectrum, namely ignoring the danger and falling into an utter despair. We can find it all together if we look for them... (AGY/DB/SD)

* A "culture house" based in Turkey's Mediterranean province of Mersin, which defines itself, above all, as an "orchard of science and academia." Click here for more detailed information (in Turkish)