Growing up on Bowen Island, I was always aware of the importance of community. Whether it was volunteering at the United Church’s Strawberry Tea or being asked how my mom and dog were doing while working at the Village Baker, the importance of taking care of one another was deeply impressed upon me.
Though I have lived in Istanbul for two years now, I didn’t feel the same level of Bowen community-ness until I started working at a local NGO, Istanbul&I, last September. Suddenly I was immersed in a kind of ‘Little Bowen’ in a mega-city with a population of 16 million. Working with Istanbul&I’s 450 members from 65 countries, reminded me of what Bowen tries to be: a place where everyone is welcome and supports one another.
On Bowen I was surrounded by a community of people from all different ages and backgrounds. Just as the younger kids always felt like my little siblings, with Istanbul&I I found new little brothers and sisters while teaching refugee boys English and facilitating art programs with Syrian and Kurdish children. Just as we all shared meals in Tunstall Bay or collected cans at BICS for the food bank, I’ve provided meals to homeless populations and share Iftar with those in need during Ramadan.
In the current migration crisis, many countries are closing their borders and their hearts to newcomers. While solutions are complicated and need institutional change, the most important thing we can do at the local level is build connections across different groups. Istanbul&I’s, and Bowen’s, greatest strength is that it’s doing the work by the community for the community.
While we focus our work on refugee and underserved groups in Istanbul, the majority of our volunteers are from those same communities or nationalities. Thus we are able to ensure that not only do people feel less alone and have access to opportunities in a new city, but also that we are coming together from a place of equality with a common goal of making Istanbul a more welcoming place.
To learn more about Istanbul&I’s work and how to support us, please view this link: https://www.launchgood.com/project/istanbuli_a_local_network_of_global_changemakers#!/
