As strong as Sahelp: Sticking together to provide aid to Turkey and Syria
By Rana Ansari
On Saturday, January 28, 2023, I finally visited Libby Hill for the first time to celebrate the refreshing crisp spring air, even during the middle of what is supposed to be winter.
I had been looking forward to visiting all week after making a plan to visit the Davvvero Gelato pop-up after finding out they have Sahlep and Kurdish Coffee on their drink menu, not to mention a creamy Pistachio Butter Spread.
I had 2 exams I was avoiding studying for, and that first sip of the sample sahlep was all I needed to forget about it. The thick and stretchy consistency brought me back to the Black Sea city of Samsun, where my Iraqi relatives live.
The blistering heat and heavy humidity would not stop us from drinking the warm, sweet drink, with ingredients sourced right from neighboring cities down in the south.
Sahlep is a type of flour made from the orchid plant. Using this flour in any recipe, whether that be a cozy hot sweet drink, an enjoyable pudding snack, or refreshing ice cream, one will expect a stretchy, defying-gravity consistency like no other.
Visiting Istanbul, or any Turkish city for that matter, the highlight is always the dondurma, or sahlep ice cream, and the admiring of the talents of the servers, using its unique properties to play tricks on the hungry tourists waiting for the tasty treat.
On the last day of my last trip to Turkey, I met a young boy from the Kahramanmaras region of southwest Turkey. He regularly commutes to bring true sahlep to Istanbul, as the region is a major exporter of sahlep powder to the rest of the world.
Sahlep is a type of flour made from the orchid plant. Using this flour in any recipe, whether that be a cozy hot sweet drink, an enjoyable pudding snack, or refreshing ice cream, one will expect a stretchy, defying-gravity consistency like no other.
He makes and sells dondurma in the touristy Fatih neighborhood of Istanbul, but takes pride in this commute, as he shows pictures of the beautiful deep green landscape of his home in the southwest.
Sahelp represents the identity of Turkey, finding its way into its unique traditions. It catches the eye of tourists and natives alike, as it did Layne, founder of Davvero Gelato who lived in Istanbul for 6 years.
Speaking with her at the stand in Libby Hill, I could tell how much love she had for Turkey and its traditions, as she made it her mission to bring some of her favorite parts to Richmond, Virginia.
On February 9th, 2023, I open the local business’ Instagram page to see a long caption beneath a slideshow of photos of ancient architecture, local streets, and fresh vegetables in a market.
Three days after the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the southwest region of Turkey, a place where Layne visited once before, she described the south of Turkey as incredible on “many levels….culinarily, artistically, culturally, and historically,” but attributes the friendliness and kindness of its people to be the long-lasting memory that she has of the region.
Just three months prior to the disaster, she had bought pistachios from the region and was heartbroken to hear about what had happened. In response, Layne donated $120+ to the White Helmets, a group dedicated to searching and rescuing in Turkey and Syria.
VCU students were also dedicated to relief for the region, especially the student organization United 2 Heal. Aya Youssef, president of the organization, has been a part of the community since her first year at VCU. 
She describes the organization as “bringing together a diverse group of students from VCU, UofR, and UVA with differing interests and backgrounds to work towards a common goal.” When the disaster in Turkey and Syria occurred, they didn’t think twice about taking “concrete steps” to start providing aid, no matter what.
Speaking with her at the stand in Libby Hill, I could tell how much love she had for Turkey and its traditions, as she made it her mission to bring some of her favorite parts to Richmond, Virginia.
As of February 27, U2H has sent 35 boxes of medical supplies and walkers donated by the VCU CARES clinic. They also partnered with Tuckahoe Montessori Elementary School to collect blankets, sleeping bags, feminine hygiene products, cold/flu medicine, hand warmers, tents, diapers, and more.
Second-year Honors student Rhea Tammireddi, who is also a member of the e-board of the organization, also contributes to these same missions, with the same determination to combat health disparities. When she initially joined U2H, she also took the first-year Honors course, Humans of RVA.
This helped Tammireddi realize “how much community engagement was involved in this organization.” Being a part of it, she was able to connect her experience in Honors and apply it to the greater Richmond community, and even the rest of the world.
As the death toll rises in the impact region of the earthquake, it is important for the world to come together to give support. As Yousef mentioned, we must put “all identities aside”, and stick together like the sahlep that kept this region together for thousands of years before.
If you are willing and able to contribute to causes that U2H works towards, they hold weekly warehouse volunteering opportunities every Friday 3-6 pm. If you should have any questions for the organization directly, please email u2h.vcu@gmail.com.
Photos courtesy of Rana Ansari