After losing her 24-year-old son in a traffic accident, Sabahat Ekerci turned to volunteer work in Istanbul to cope with her grief, eventually dedicating nearly 45 years to supporting children in state care.
Ekerci, now 86, began volunteering in 1982 following the death of her son Kaya. She initially joined charitable activities for elderly people in the Üsküdar district of Istanbul, at the invitation of a neighbor, preparing meals and helping people in need.
Her focus later shifted to children after she discovered that spending time with them gave her a renewed sense of energy and purpose.
She began regularly visiting children’s homes, spending time with children in state care, helping meet their needs and organizing activities to help them participate in social life.
A meeting with a young boy who reminded her of her late son became a turning point in her life.
“I thought he looked like my son. I took him in place of my child and told him that I loved him very much,” Ekerci recalled. The boy responded by telling her that he loved her too.
Following the encounter, Ekerci began visiting the children’s home more frequently. She prepared her son’s favorite dishes for the children and provided clothing, food and other necessities during holidays and special occasions.
With official permission, she also took children to beaches and picnics and organized various activities for them over the years.
Ekerci eventually expanded her efforts by mobilizing people around her to help children living in a Children’s Homes Complex affiliated with the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services.
She also worked to ensure that children did not have to abandon their education because of financial difficulties.
When institutional support was insufficient, she sought assistance from her family and people in her social circle, helping five students complete their education.
Ekerci continues her volunteer work today, although her activities have increasingly shifted toward knitting.
She makes sweaters, cardigans, vests and soap holders at home and sends them to children in need. Items she initially knitted for children in care homes are now also being sent to children in different parts of Anatolia.
“When I pick up something to knit, I say, ‘My God, help me. Let me continue these efforts and do whatever little I can,’” she said.
Ekerci said the affection she receives from children has helped her cope with grief and given her a lasting sense of purpose.
“Then the children gave me energy,” she said, recalling how they would run to her and hug her, calling her “Mom.”
“Spending time with them made me forget myself,” she added.
She also recalled an encounter with a girl at a children’s home more than 30 years ago. The girl ran toward her on a staircase, and Ekerci opened her arms to prevent her from falling. The child hugged her, and Ekerci said she has remained attached to her ever since.
“You get energy from children. You may go there sad, but you come back smiling,” she said.
Ekerci said she has never distinguished children in state care from her own children and grandchildren and has continued to stand by them at important moments in their lives.
She urged young people to become more involved in volunteering, saying even small contributions can make a difference in children’s lives.
