Warm soup for the soul, or the contagious altruism of a remarkable family
Since 2015, this Istanbul family has been quietly aiding those in need through their soup van, which has expanded to the comprehensive Brotherhood Campaign, encouraging strangers to spread compassion within their social circles.
The bright yellow soup van in Istanbul is a testament to the devoted volunteers' quiet mission. / Photo: AA Archive
Every day in Istanbul's Fatih district, a bright yellow van arrives as a beacon of hope, drawing hundreds of the city’s poor to quickly form orderly queues, at the end of which they receive their share of nourishment.
Launched in 2015, the "Ashane (Soup kitchen)” van, a spin-off from the Brotherhood Campaign founded by academic Mahmut Karaman in 1990, goes beyond being a mobile soup kitchen as it aims to rejuvenate a sense of brotherhood within the larger community.
The vehicle has been distributing soup to the homeless and the needy in various parts of Istanbul. It is equipped with a large soup cauldron. Those in need know when it is scheduled to arrive at their location.
Karaman, a retired academic in Political Science at Sakarya University, 65, launched Kardeslik Seferberligi (Brotherhood Campaign) in 1990. It grew out of a culture of selflessness that ran through his family. His son, Mustafa Fazil Karaman, 33, recalls a childhood memory of his mother bringing home a homeless woman who stayed with them for two years, describing it as his first encounter with the "Other", who is also in need.
"That person stayed with us for two years and became a part of our family, a sister to me and my siblings, and a daughter to my parents," Fazil Karaman tells TRT World.
"Over time, I encountered many people facing various difficulties arriving at our house. People to whom my parents handed the key to our home would enter in the evening, have their meals and sleep in the living room," he says, describing his parent's house as a "social laboratory."
It is this family practice that turned into the kindness project called "Kardeslik Seferberligi (Brotherhood Campaign)". "It is not a term or creation invented by us, but is rooted in Islam, and has been shaping Islamic social life for centuries. The concept of brotherhood regulates the social aspects of the community and defines the social dimensions of this land," Fazil Karaman says.
Mahmut Karaman, the founder of the Brotherhood Campaign, was granted an award at the "Kindness Awards" by The Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) in 2018.
The yellow van
The soup kitchen came much later. The initiative, stemming from an organic bond between family members and friends over the idea of public service, goes beyond merely offering food to individuals and encompasses various activities, including encouraging local bakeries to distribute warm bread to the impoverished, distributing blankets and fuel in winter, providing furniture to those in need and hygiene support to the homeless.
The van also reaches crisis areas with its food-filled trunk and dedicated volunteers whenever needed. Inspired by the hadith of Prophet Muhammad: "He is not a believer whose stomach is filled, while his neighbour goes hungry", the project's catchline, written on the van, goes: "My neighbour will not sleep hungry".
"Without questioning who our neighbour is," says Fazil Karaman, "We take food to areas in Istanbul where homeless individuals live, twice daily since 2015."
The Ashane van was present, disbursing much needed food during the coup attempt on July 15. It was also next to the victims a day after the February 6 twin earthquakes in southern provinces.
"A man is a wolf to another man," or "One needs even the ash of his neighbour," Karaman says that where individuals opt to position themselves between these two understandings shapes their perception of life and societal roles.
Care for the caregiver
Contrary to popular belief, solidarity is not just a necessity for the recipient of support, but also for those who provide it. That's why this campaign doesn't merely aim to support those in financial need; it also seeks to fulfil the emotional needs of those who provide material support on the ground, giving them a sense of solidarity, usefulness, and a sense of belonging just when they are emotionally drained.
The Brotherhood Campaign is based on collective, pro bono work. While some cover the cost of the soup, other volunteers pay for the price of cups, and so on.
"One of the biggest deficiencies in wealthy people is their lack of interaction with the "Other". This distance amplifies our existing prejudices towards each other," Karaman says.
His initiative doesn't collect monetary donations. Instead, when someone offers cash donations, they ask them to contribute essential items to the team, and, if they desire, participate in their distribution. "This way, those making the offer get an opportunity to interact with the Other," Karaman adds.
He believes donations are impersonal and hold little significance for the soul and mind of a donor who remains unexposed to the poverty and need the group caters to. That is why outsiders are welcomed to join the campaign team as volunteers, primarily to empower them to partake in acts of kindness firsthand, and get to know in person those who are in need.
Through this approach, nearly 100 people who have volunteered with this team in the past, have been inspired to initiate their own brotherhood campaigns across 60 provinces of Türkiye.
"Everyone talks about how there are no impoverished people around them or how they fear and shy away from them. The reality is different. They are waiting for me, you or those reading this article, to take the initiative," says the public-spirited man, calling others to take immediate action.
"Don't resort to excuses. Don't entrust your heart and conscience to intermediaries. Give yourself a chance. Join the game. Fulfil yourself."
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