Deep Poverty Network’s impactful journey

Deep Poverty Network’s impactful journey

In December 2019, Deep Poverty Network (DPN) was established as part of the Open Space Association by a group of researchers, sociologists, psychologists, and journalists who initially came together in a solidarity-based community center, Çimenev, mainly for children in a lower-class neighborhood of Istanbul. DPN was founded as research and reading group to investigate the deepening nature of poverty, to make its multidimensional nature visible, to develop a rights-based approach to poverty, and to monitor the human rights of socioeconomically marginalized individuals.

Shaping the world of elderly residents

Shaping the world of elderly residents

Club Goud was launched by Moniek van Daal. Prior to launching the initiative, Moniek had spent more than 10 years volunteering at an elderly home, engaging in simple conversations over coffee with elderly residents. This experience revealed to her that the world of many elderly individuals becomes smaller and smaller, particularly for those who lack close family connections. Moniek strongly believed in the value of intergenerational interactions yet faced challenges in recruiting young volunteers. This motivated her to conceptualize events that could bridge the generation gap.

Relay houses and nurseries open for caregivers

Relay houses and nurseries open for caregivers

The Relay houses (maisons relais) are operated by municipalities alone or with the support of facility managers from CSOs (in this case, the Red Cross). Their primary objective is to provide parents with the option to work by offering care after school hours or during closures. These houses offer temporary socio-educational care for children and young people under 18 outside regular school hours. They primarily cater to families residing in the municipality or children attending school there.

Providing help during crisis: From COVID to war

Providing help during crisis: From COVID to war

This initiative was created to help people who, due to Covid-19 restrictions, were forced to stay at home. The target group is composed of people in self-isolation, those sick with Covid-19, or those who belong to the high-risk group due to medical reasons. Additionally, the project focused on supporting vulnerable groups like ‘people with low income,’ ‘single parents,’ and ‘elderly individuals living alone.’ The primary idea was to aid those individuals who lacked the means, support, or skills to acquire necessary items while in self-isolation.

Supporting children in challenging times

Supporting children in challenging times

Happy Days is an organization aiming to assist children facing physical, mental, and emotional challenges, and young carers and their families. During the crisis, the COVID Project helped sustain support for families and maintain operational continuity. This involved organizing various activities, holidays, and day trips for children.

From balcony numbers to active associations

From balcony numbers to active associations

A group of neighbors in Vallecas (Madrid), along with various collectives and community associations, organized through WhatsApp to provide mutual support during the COVID-19 crisis. Multiple groups were formed in each part of the district with the primary goal of assisting individuals who were unable to leave their homes to meet essential needs such as groceries and pharmacy supplies.

COVID-19 and HIV: Sens Pozitiv Association’s response and advocacy

COVID-19 and HIV: Sens Pozitiv Association’s response and advocacy

Sens Pozitiv Association is an NGO working to improve the quality of life of HIV patients and of persons from vulnerable categories who are at risk of contracting HIV. A significant part of the organisation’s work consists in supporting HIV-positive persons in accessing the specific HIV medication, thus substituting the public healthcare system’s failure to provide medication and medical services for HIV patients.

Guiding vulnerable individuals from adversity to empowerment

Guiding vulnerable individuals from adversity to empowerment

During lockdown, Stichting Mano displayed resilience by swiftly developing digital programms tailored to local citizens with limited literacy. These included personalized coaches for topics like ‘Literacy and Money’ and ‘Literacy and Health,’ along with essential language courses. These online alternatives replaced traditional in-person sessions and cafes, allowing for continued community engagement and education.