The Art of Solidarity

Here are our volunteers and their activities in our European Solidarity Corps project – 2024-1-TR01-ESC51-VTJ-000209182 – “The Art of Solidarity”:

The Volunteers We Host:

Yasmin Ait Haddouch

Activity Dates: 22.04.2025 – 19.06.2025

Supporting Organisation: Association Isaaf Jrada Solidarité et Développement, Morocco

Hosting Organisation: Sahipsiz Hayvanları Koruma ve Yaşatma Derneği

Yasmin took on the care of sick, weak, disabled and orphaned cats and dogs in the Sinop and Gerze shelters and the ones under our protection.

Yasmin helped with daily cleaning and maintenance of the animal shelter to ensure a safe and comfortable environment. She assisted during surgeries by observing, supporting the animals, and providing post-operative care. She fed both cats and dogs with attentiveness and care. She took special care of young kittens, ensuring their needs were met with love and patience. With her help, regular feeding and cleaning improved the animals’ physical health and emotional well-being.

This experience pushed her out of her comfort zone in a positive and transformative way. She adapted to challenging conditions, including physically exhausting days and language barriers. She learned that true connection goes beyond words kindness, presence, and intention are universal languages. She built strong connections through shared responsibilities and teamwork and she became more resilient and emotionally grounded. Also Yasmin developed a deeper appreciation for Türkiye’s approach to animal welfare and the generosity of the local people.

Thanks to Yasmin, many of our friends regained their health and received better care.

Hatice Zehra Güvenir

Activity Dates: 23.04.2025 – 20.06.2025

Supporting Organisation: Sahipsiz Hayvanları Koruma ve Yaşatma Derneği

Hosting Organisation: Sahipsiz Hayvanları Koruma ve Yaşatma Derneği

Zehra took on the care of sick, weak, disabled and orphaned cats and dogs in the Sinop and Gerze shelters and the ones under our protection.

Throughout her two-month volunteering in Sinop, Zehra focused on improving the quality of life for stray animals. She regularly fed and cleaned the litter boxes for approximately 100 cats in the village. This allowed her to meet their basic needs and closely monitor their health. When she noticed sick cats, she brought them home and, as a veterinarian, took on their treatment. During this process, she specifically addressed common issues like infections and injuries.

At the same time, she participated in spay/neuter operations at the local shelter. She gave special attention to kittens in need of care, nursing them and doing everything I could to help them survive. This process was both physically and emotionally demanding but incredibly fulfilling for Zehra.

During this two-month period, she made a tangible and positive impact on the stray cat population in Sinop. Thanks to regular feeding and cleaning, there was a noticeable improvement in the general health of the village cats. The risks of hunger and disease decreased, which helped them lead longer and healthier lives.

The immediate medical intervention she provided for sick cats saved many lives. The recovery and return to life of treated cats were the greatest proof of her efforts. Through the spay/neuter efforts at the shelter, she contributed to controlling uncontrolled breeding in the region, which will reduce the number of future stray animals. This was an important step towards ensuring more sustainable animal welfare in the long term. Most importantly, the special attention she showed to needy and young kittens allowed them to survive and grow healthily. Her work not only improved the quality of life for animals but also raised local awareness, making a small but significant impact on animal love and responsibility.

Within the activity, Zehra developed herself in so many areas. She incredibly developed her flexibility and problem-solving skills. Being the only Turkish in the group gave her the opportunity to interact with people from different cultures and form strong bonds. As a veterinarian, this volunteering enriched her practical experience in the field. Working with limited resources allowed her to utilize her creativity and knowledge to the fullest. Specifically, sheI learned how to intervene more effectively with animals in challenging conditions. The spay/neuter operations at the shelter and the treatment of sick animals in the village further solidified her professional skills. Now she feels more competent in making quick decisions and responding to emergencies.

Thanks to Zehra, many of our friends regained their health and received better care.

Laura De Giorgi

Activity Dates: 28.04.2025 – 27.05.2025

Supporting Organisation: Scambieuropei ETS, Italy

Hosting Organisation: Sahipsiz Hayvanları Koruma ve Yaşatma Derneği

Laura took care of the sick, weak, disabled and orphaned cats and dogs in the Sinop and Gerze shelters and the ones under our care.

Laura took care of the medical and daily care of the disabled, sick and orphaned cats and dogs in our care. Her daily duties included feeding, cleaning and regular health checks.

In the shelter in Sinop, Laura assisted in surgeries and helped with ongoing treatments. In Gerze, she took a more active role in performing all operations, including neutering for both cats and dogs.

With Laura’s participation, many of our friends regained their health and received better care.

Çağan Başar Koca

Activity Dates: 04.08.2025 – 23.08.2025

Supporting Organisation: Sahipsiz Hayvanları Koruma ve Yaşatma Derneği

Hosting Organisation: Sahipsiz Hayvanları Koruma ve Yaşatma Derneği

Throughout his time at the Sinop shelter, Çağan worked with the strays under our care. He cared for cats and dogs and met the medical needs of those who were ill. He administered parasite treatments and vaccinations. He also assisted in the chipping of cats under our care. He assisted veterinarians at the shelter with their diagnosis, treatment, and surgeries. Thanks to Çağan, many animals received the necessary medical attention and improved their physical and emotional well-being. He also had the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with other veterinary colleagues from abroad and improved his English language skills.

Adem Kaya

Activity Dates: 05.08.2025 – 02.10.2025

Supporting Organisation: Sahipsiz Hayvanları Koruma ve Yaşatma Derneği

Hosting Organisation: Sahipsiz Hayvanları Koruma ve Yaşatma Derneği

Throughout his time at the Sinop shelter, Adem assisted veterinarians with their diagnosis, treatment, and surgeries. He fed newborn kittens and provided medical care and daily treatment for cats living in the shelter’s cat house. He cared for cats and dogs and met the medical needs of those who were ill. He administered parasite treatments and vaccinations. He also assisted in the chipping of cats under our care. Thanks to Adem, many animals received the necessary medical attention and improved their physical and emotional well-being. The activity significantly improved the well-being of the shelter animals. Surgeries helped control the population and improved their health. Feeding and caring for the kittens increased their survival chances, while medical treatment made the adult cats healthier and more comfortable. Overall, the living conditions of the animals improved, and the shelter team received strong support in their work. This experience helped him grow both personally and professionally. He learned to be more patient and resilient, especially when facing challenges like limited resources, a heavy workload, and time constraints. He overcame these difficulties by working as a team, staying adaptable, and using his veterinary knowledge in the most efficient way. He also had the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with other veterinary colleagues from abroad and improved his English language skills.

Basma Chahm

Activity Dates: 07.08.2025 – 04.10.2025

Supporting Organisation: Association Isaaf Jrada Solidarité et Développement, Morocco

Hosting Organisation: Sahipsiz Hayvanları Koruma ve Yaşatma Derneği

Throughout her time Basma worked at the Gerze shelter and with the cats and dogs under our care. She assisted the veterinarian with diagnoses, treatments, and surgeries. She fostered newborn orphaned kittens. She cared for numerous stray cats and dogs and met the medical needs of those who were ill. She administered parasite treatments and vaccinations. She also performed all the necessary care and examinations for the cats in our care, including assisting with their microchip implants. She also implemented treatment protocols for the sick cats and dogs under our care. Thanks to Basma, the general condition of many stray cats and dogs has improved, and they have regained their health. She also had the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with other veterinary colleagues from various countries.