Yakto Hayat Soup Kitchen
Harbiye, Antakya, Hatay
Yakto Hayat is one of many groups doing profound work in the regions affected by Turkey’s 2023 earthquakes. Essentially a community kitchen, or "mahalle mutfağı" (neighborhood kitchen) in the Gümüşgöze area of Defne, a sub-district within the Antakya area of Hatay, the group provides meals to students and those in need, as well as hosting a space for the community to gather and host educational programs.
Initially based out of a temporary settlement, Yakto Hayat has since carved out a public space within a parking lot – three covered areas – a large tent where locals and students are served meals, a tent which houses an outdoor kitchen, and an open area with a tarp above that serves as both a food prep area and a dining area for guests such as ourselves. There is also a small built structure for washing, storage, canning, and refrigeration. The entire operation is centrally located and near a local school (whose students come for daily lunches).
So many came together and continue to do so, to serve those who, like themselves, suffer from the devastating losses following the earthquake – lives, health, homes, jobs, well-being. Many continue to live in temporary container settlements. It is remarkable to see the members’ roles in preserving their cultures, nurturing their sense of connection, and lending such hope to themselves and the community at large.
Largely run by local women such as Serva Askar and Selda Aldiç, Yakto Hayat was created immediately after the February 6, 2023 earthquakes by Ibrahim Guler, a local furniture maker, and Fikret Duman, who, with his wife Emel Duman, founded Defne & Apollon. Defne & Apollon practices a traditional form of sericulture (silkworm cultivation) and are also silk producers. They recently received a patent for their “Hatay Yellow Silk” (made from the local yellow silkworm) and are known for their Ahimsa, or Barış, Silk (Peace silk). This process of sericulture is where the silkworm is allowed to emerge from the cocoon as a moth before the silk is processed (rather than boiling the cocoon while the silkworm is still alive).
Yakto Hayat feeds hundreds of students and those in need each week, using traditional, healthy recipes, and also produces preserves which they sell locally in order to raise funds for the operation. Yakto Hayat continues to seek support, and is grateful to ongoing partners Sivil Alan Hareket Ağı (Civil Space Action Network) and Bridge 2 Türkiye, each of which facilitate its operations and expand its reach. Their work exemplifies the role of neighborhood kitchens to make food accessible and to create sustainable living spaces after disasters.
