The walls of Haçik’s room

ISTANBUL: The walls of Haçik’s room are nasty, musty and cracked. It is a pity especially because Mr. Haçik (witch in Armenian -Haçik's mother tong- means cross) is a 68-year-old former house painter. But in his shopping list there are other more urgent priorities than the paint to whiten his 10mq room: the bread for today.

On his bed he placed carton bags containing some carton icons, rosaries and pewter plates with Virgin Maria collected from a smith in Tahtakale. Once a month Haçik sells these sacred images in a deconsecrated Armenian church in Beyazit earning 20-50 Turkish Lira (TL) (8-20 Euro). Unlike others old inhabitant in Dolaptere (a politically and emotionally resonant historical neighborhood in Istanbul who is now becoming a slam) who moved to other areas, Haçik resists honestly and proud in his 10qm apartment. He represents the heritage of an ancient multicultural society that the booming modern Turkey would like to forget.

Despite his small business Haçik, how doesn't draw any pension, could not pay the bills without the help of Caritas, an NGO affiliated to the Catholic Church. Until 2009 poor families in Istanbul needed to knock at Caritas' door when they could not pay the rent or they froze in winter because they finished the coal. And the charity gave what it could, mostly dresses or an electric heater, sometimes money for the medicines and eventually a monthly credit for 50TL (about 20 Euro) at the local grocer. In other cases it was sufficient to contact family members, who moved abroad, to inform them and escape from poverty. But teaching how to fish is much more than giving a fish. Since 2009 sharing the collect is not enough: the Caritas started a home care service giving social and psychological help besides the economical one.

Angelo is an Italian origin employer living in Istanbul recently married. His life could not be more different with Haçik’s one. However the two men meet for about a year once a week for a cup of tea, common lubricant of Turkish sociality. Angelo is one of the ten volunteers working with Caritas for the home-care service. Thank the Caritas' coordination the volunteers care about 40 families, old parishioner, addicted young people, shaken and split families, people with diseased, people without any public social assistance. It might seem to be a task above volunteers' head considered the specific needs emarginated people may have. But volunteers are not left alone.

A silent revolution is rising in the volunteering word and the home-care service in Istanbul is a platform of its advanced testing. NGO, experts and volunteers build a complex task-force: the Caritas organizes volunteers training course with a psychologist experienced in social work. From the other side down volunteers meet every two weeks sharing their experience in the presence of the trainer, giving advice to each other. Some of them have built a solid friendship with their consumers; but in the more challenged situations the volunteers switch every year, to assure continuity but avoid too deep involvement.

Angelo, like the other nine volunteers, works in the group for about two years and he still did not finish learning. Despite his economic security he is able to identify with Mr. Haçik: ‘I may be in his situation, one day’ Angelo confesses. A part Haçik he meets with other three people in need, dedicating about two evenings per week, providing them some time of joy and monitoring their conditions.
Angelo (it would be too obvious to say ‘nomen est omen’ but here his engagement seems to make the very obvious though) moves a huge solidarity machine calling for help between friends and acquaintances. This weekend he will come with some friends to Haçik's place. They will move the bed, the wardrobe and the stove out and whiten Haçik's room.