In Gaziantep, southeastern Türkiye, 90-year-old Nazife Doğan finds joy in preparing meals for those in need at a mosque soup kitchen, where she volunteers to help meet the hot meal needs of disadvantaged families.
Nazife Doğan, along with other volunteer women at the soup kitchen of the Osmanlı Mosque in the 75. Yıl neighborhood of Şahinbey district embodies the spirit of sharing and solidarity during Ramadan. Despite her advanced age, she actively participates in meal preparation at the soup kitchen, which provides hot meals to families in need during the holy month.
Doğan comes to the soup kitchen daily, assisting the volunteer women in cooking and working alongside them as much as her strength allows. She remains at the soup kitchen until iftar time, dedicating herself to helping the needy, orphans, and widows. By working side by side with other volunteers, she sets a remarkable example of Ramadan’s blessings and generosity.
Despite being told by other women at the soup kitchen, “You are elderly; we can do this for you,” Doğan insists on helping and says she wishes to serve as long as possible.
One of the volunteers, Rabia Aslan, shared her admiration for Doğan: “Nazife teyze (aunt) comes here every day to help with meal preparation. Even when we tell her not to come, she insists, saying, ‘My daughter, I can’t stay at home. I have to come here and help you. I want to be of some use to you.’ She is 90 years old, yet she comes to the soup kitchen daily."
"Whether through her prayers or her cooking skills, she contributes so much. She also teaches us things we don’t know. We are very pleased to have her here. Even when we tell her, ‘Teyze, you are elderly; we can cook,’ she still prefers to come. She says, ‘If I don’t come, I won’t be able to do any good. At least by coming here, I earn blessings. I want to help those in need.’ We truly appreciate her presence,” she said.
