What Makes a Home
Project statement
“What Makes a Home shifts the focus from adversity and trauma to brief, intimate moments of joy, resilience, and creativity—moments where life can be about more than survival.
For the past decade, Better Shelter has been active in over 80 countries and has delivered housing to hundreds of thousands of people affected by conflict and disaster.
These shelters have become more than just structures providing a roof over someone’s head—they have come to represent an often-overlooked necessity of life in displacement: dignity.
To tell these stories, Better Shelter commissioned three photographers—Björn Wallander, Ci Demi and Ali Haj Suleiman.
Together, their images capture the complexities of displacement—grief and uncertainty, alongside moments of normalcy: cooking dinner while entertaining a toddler, or the domestic struggles of a partner’s hobby that’s taken up a bit too much space at home, or the ingenuity and care in which someone finds ways to personalise and decorate their shelter, making it something to be proud of—small but meaningful acts of resilience.”
Quoted from the campaign’s website.
Personal notes
I had visited Antakya, Hatay in Turkey just two weeks before the devastating earthquakes of 2023 hit the region.
Since then, naturally, I had a strong desire to return. In May 2024, Better Shelter provided me with the opportunity to go back and document the stories of the individuals who have been living in the NGO's shelters since the disaster.
During our short time in the city, we witnessed the lingering aftermath of the earthquakes that had struck over a year ago. Despite the devastation, we were heartened to connect with three families who shared with us their hopes for the future.
Unexpected flooding on the first day limited our time to document our story in the field, leaving us with only one day to complete the task. However, despite the time constraint, all of these selected photographs were made on that same day.
I was aware that the region had been severely impacted, but being there in person really puts everything into perspective. It takes time for a person to fully comprehend the extent of the destruction. Yet, life continued on its course. There was an air of acceptance, not defeat, a determination to persevere, and small glimmers of optimism through the cracks.
Antakya, once a place of stunning beauty, now lay in ruins. I look forward to the day when I can return and witness its restoration, though I know that process will be a lengthy one.
May 2024
Impulsive Impressions
Simbart Projects
Çukurcuma, Istanbul, Turkey
Until October 19, 2024