Our President spoke to Anadolu Agency about the Institution's 130th Anniversary.

Our Darülaceze President Esra Ceceli İslam gave a special interview to an Anadolu Agency reporter regarding Darülaceze's 130th anniversary.
Our President stated that Darülaceze, which served even during the occupation of Istanbul, has been alongside those in need for 130 years, emphasizing that Darülaceze is not just a nursing home but also a social service institution, providing care and rehabilitation services for both the elderly and children with the contributions of donors and philanthropists.
You can read the full interview further down the page.

A haven of compassion in the heart of Istanbul: Darülaceze is 130 years old
Located in Şişli, one of the most central locations in Istanbul, Darülaceze, with its historical buildings and green areas, resembles an oasis and has been a haven of compassion for the homeless for 130 years.
Darülaceze was established during the Ottoman-Russian War period by Sultan Abdul Hamid II to gather homeless children wandering the streets and needy people sleeping in mosque courtyards, to rehabilitate them, teach them trades, and ensure that the homeless live in peace, due to the population increase caused by migrations in Istanbul. Established in 1895 on land acquired with personal funds and with the support of the public, Darülaceze has continuously served the homeless, the elderly, infants, and the sick for 130 years, becoming the compassionate heart of Istanbul. It continues its services with the same mission. Speaking to an AA reporter about the institution's history and activities, Darülaceze President Esra Ceceli İslam stated that Darülaceze, which provided services even during the occupation of Istanbul, has been alongside those in need for 130 years. Emphasizing that Darülaceze is not just a nursing home, İslam said, "Darülaceze is also a social service institution. With the contributions of donors and philanthropists, we provide care and rehabilitation services for both the elderly and children." He said, "Today, we serve 400 people in 8 separate buildings called 'apartments,' and among them are babies aged 0-3, numbering between 20 and 30." Stating that they provide many services within their facility, Islam said, "Here, we provide not only care but also health services. Darülaceze has a polyclinic and a medical center. We try to meet all needs here, from physical therapy to dentistry, general check-ups, and other health services. We also have a rehabilitation center. There are workshops organized here for vocational training, such as a carpentry workshop, an electrical workshop, and a sock workshop." He used the following expressions:

"A model where those who have the means support those who do not"
Explaining that young people who came to the institution in the past were trained in these vocational workshops and became employed, İslam stated that they later left Darülaceze and established their own homes.
Stating that Darülaceze has been managed with the same regulations since its establishment, İslam said, "According to this document, we have two admission procedures. One is the care and acceptance of individuals who do not have a family, children, or financial means. The other is the method of providing lifelong care here by donating individuals who have no one left but have financial means to the institution. The system through donations was established in that era; it is a model where those who have the means support those who do not." He said:
Emphasizing that Darülaceze is an institution that sustains itself without support from the state budget, İslam stated that they provide services to those in need with the donations they receive.
Emphasizing that Darülaceze has never made distinctions based on race or religion since its establishment, İslam said:
"The doors of Darülaceze are open to everyone. When we enter the main courtyard from our door, we are greeted by a large obelisk. This obelisk has a special feature. On the right, there is a small, beautiful mosque of Darülaceze - I actually call it the smallest imperial mosque of Istanbul. On the right side there is a mosque, and on the left side there is a church and a synagogue. There is an obelisk right in the middle, at the same distance from the mosque, the church, and the synagogue."
Expressing that people who come to Darülaceze of their own free will have their doubts, if any, quickly dispelled and become happy, İslam continued:
"When I toured the wards again this morning, I understood this from the happiness on their faces. That is, even those who do not have the means come here and find a kind of..." They are being rehabilitated. There is no sadness in those who stay here by donating what they have, because we become their family here. They are very well cared for. All their needs are met. They spend their days fully with the rehabilitation opportunities here. We call the place where Darülaceze is located a kind of oasis. In the middle of Şişli, actually among the plazas, when you enter through the door, you are greeted by a large courtyard under beautiful plane trees. It is not easy to find such a beautiful garden in Istanbul. Especially in spring and summer, our residents are very happy in the garden. In winter, our historical buildings are both comfortable and large and spacious."

A special care center for Alzheimer's and dementia is opening in Darülaceze Social Life City
İslam said that Darülaceze Life City, which Darülaceze opened in Arnavutköy at the end of 2023, is the forward-looking face of social service modeled under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The furnishings of the buildings, which were prepared with very meticulous work, are also most suitable for the elderly. Stating that the facilities were prepared with the necessary materials, Islam said the following:

"The Darülaceze tradition continues in the City of Life. There is a large area where those in need are cared for. Also, based on the principle of those who have the means supporting those who do not, which comes from the spirit of Darülaceze, we will also have donor blocks in the Darülaceze Social Life City. In addition to this, a very important specialized care center is also opening now. This is our Alzheimer's and dementia special care center. A very special section providing world-class service is taking place there."

Islam stated that citizens, students from all levels, and even tourists, due to it being a historical area, visit Darülaceze, and that they accept visitors every day except Mondays.
Islam stated that the residents of Darülaceze are happy about this situation, saying, "Especially on holidays, our citizens come as if they are visiting their own elders. At such times, Darülaceze is overflowing. We are very happy about this. Seeing the people who come to visit them is what makes our elderly happiest."

Pointing out the importance of donations for Darülaceze to provide sustainable social services, İslam invited citizens and the business world to support the institution.