The Story of Colorful Hands Working Together for Kindness

We embarked as the Borusan Cat Okyanus Gönüllüleri (Ocean Volunteers) team to assist with the painting work at the Tomurcuk Cooperative in Maltepe. It surprised and delighted me to see that my colleagues from very different departments such as Human Resources, Sales, Information Technologies, Purchase, Warranty, and Technical Communication are involved in this work. Simultaneously, I felt immense joy at the opportunity to meet long-time colleagues within the company whom I had collaborated with for many years but had never met face to face.

I must confess, meeting Alper Ulu was a particularly joyful moment because our work e-mail addresses are strikingly similar, leading to numerous mistaken emails being sent my way or assumptions of a familial connection. It didn't suit us to not have a conversation after such incidents. 😊

Now please join me, I would like to tell you about "Colorful Hands".
When we first entered the door, we were greeted by a giant evil eye bead on the right wall... We thought, were we really in the right place?

And it didn’t stop there. A little further on, the evil eye beads were swaying on the tree branches with the wind. When I saw Ms. Yasemin and some of my colleagues, I realized that we had come to the right place, but my astonishment continued. As we sipped our tea together at the table accompanied by Ms. Yasemin's smiling face, the handcrafted evil eye bead stones gathered around the table just like us. I believe I've figured out the meaning behind the title ‘’Colorful Hands’’ for this project.

Very interestingly, I had never painted anything before that day, I was very excited because this work requires mastery! There were colleagues like me who had never painted before, as well as a few colleagues who had experienced painting during moving. After we all shared our experiences, we came to one conclusion: "We can handle this job!"

The first thing we had to do was to pack things up to get the rooms ready for painting. We all put on our Cat hats and white jumpsuits, were ready to go, and looked so stylish! We also felt like Ghostbusters, even if a ghost appears, we're sure to be on the job. It was also a reflection of our team spirit that no matter how hot it gets at the end of the day, no one took this jumpsuit off. 😊

When we got up to the rooms, we started to collect the handicraft works with the guidance of my colleagues who have experience in moving. Gizem was well-trained because she moved recently, so she led us. It is such an environment that we all run from one room to another, wherever there is a need for help. After we finished collecting, it was time to paint.

While collecting, I saw so many sweet and heartwarming works that I was so impressed that I would love you to see them too... These works made me think that imagination is limitless and that we have very beautiful talents; it warms you up inside and puts a sweet smile on your face. As I looked at the Snowman, I still think about who that scarf belonged to, who knows who wore it before, where it went with its former owner, and how it ended up around the neck of the snowman at the end of the day with the memories of its former owner? It's fascinating what crosses our minds when we engage in painting! It brings to mind the emotional tale of the yellow umbrella in the award-winning animation 'Umbrella'...

Before I continue, I recommend everyone to watch and enjoy this beautiful animation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki9KMepMztw

We began painting alongside the professional craftsmen. Little did I know there were numerous gifted painters among us. Trust me, I lived through exquisite moments that will forever linger in my memory. Wasn't this a great opportunity to discover our hidden talents, unleash our potential, and find inspiration?
We also had to do plaster work in some places. Ecem and Naci started to work skilfully as if they were painters of forty years. What gems do we have among us, right? 😊 Alper and Onur painted so fast and technically that I couldn’t keep up with their speed. It is an announcement to those who need help with painting!
Ms. Banu showed her leadership skills, analyzed how to do things most practically, and guided us. She created links for the photos among all our work and encouraged us to upload the photos. I wished to tell these sentiments face to face as soon as possible to my colleagues, whom I haven’t told yet. It's truly precious to express mutual appreciation and gratitude. Once again, I discovered another heartfelt realization...

Çiğdem guided and informed us during our breaks and caught up with the things we needed to fix. We didn't even have to have a distribution of tasks; everything was spontaneous, and we took completely natural initiatives. Everyone was rushing from one task to the next, taking on new tasks, trying to do their best without saying ‘’I don't know’’ and doing their job consistently. We progressed efficiently as a living example of the slogan "I trust my team!".
Gül was very crafty, we witnessed that she could do anything. At that moment, I thought of the painter version of the video of strategic initiatives, "What would it be like if one of your teammates at the office suddenly turns into a highly skilled tailor?". Don't be surprised when one of your office mates suddenly exhibits different skills in front of your eyes 😊

Who would have guessed that painting could be so enjoyable?

We approached our work with such dedication that a few of my colleagues unintentionally got paint on their faces and carried on without noticing! While I was painting, one of the skilled craftsmen kindly pointed out my mistake. I promptly approached him, eager to learn insights from his years of experience. He guided us as we taped the floors before continuing with the painting. As the painting progressed and we applied to the second coat, the sight of our handiwork unfolded, and we shared the feeling of success together.

At lunch break, Ms. Yasemin graciously treated us to lunch at the Down Café. It was my first encounter with Down Café, and I gained a new insight! I adored the warm, inviting, and tranquil ambiance of Down Café! The flavor of the cherry cake we enjoyed that day still lingers in my memory...

While conversing with Ms. Yasemin over lunch, I discovered that the Tomurcuk Cooperative was established by young mothers of children with intellectual disabilities. In this center, individuals over 18 who had completed their education, as well as school-going children, could participate in individual and group support training. Workshops such as percussion, dance, marbling, ceramics, handicrafts, textile printing, and applied kitchens were offered. The exquisite, handcrafted pieces showcased the beautiful outcomes of these training sessions. I felt proud to be a part of it. Ward off the evil eye 😊
We came across fresh evil eye beads at the exit of Down Café. Ms. Yasemin told us their story, and Çiğdem promised that she would try them as soon as she got home. She kept her promise and tried them! In the visual below, on the left you can see the fresh evil eye beads we came across, and on the right the photo of Çiğdem’s handicraft which I got her permission to share.

In my opinion, professional craftsman Gökhan was the pinnacle of this job, I tried to do whatever he did. Naim showed his administrative hat here as well. Everyone was officially displaying their art with all seriousness. It was an environment that surrounds you so gracefully. Formun Üstü It was as though our visit to the Tomurcuk Cooperative that day wasn't solely for painting; our urgency, gravity, and bustling activity dazzled, crafting moments were truly worth witnessing.

When the day was over, we wanted to take a team photo. Çiğdem held the evil eye bead in her hand, capturing a moment to commemorate the day, and from this, an intimate photo unfolded. I wanted to name this 360-degree photo "Together", it will always remind me that there is nothing we can't do together...

I didn’t feel tired at all that day until I came home... Even though we worked non-stop all day, we were always happy and always smiling. That day I rediscovered that happiness really multiplies when shared. Upon receiving a heartfelt thank-you video from the Tomurcuk Cooperative, I realized that each evil eye bead we encountered that day symbolized our friends in that video. Those eyes within the evil eye beads were reflections of them, and as we gaze at those beads, they, in turn, gaze back at us. This is why 'Colorful Hands' resonates so deeply with our souls and serves as a profound source of inspiration!

Okyanus Gönüllüleri are doing great work. If you want to see the gems in your colleague's lives, to be inspired, to feel the team spirit, to experience the feeling of being able to touch someone else's life, even if it is just a little, I recommend you to knock on the door of Okyanus Gönüllüleri. If I could put the emotions I experienced that day in a bottle and sell it, I swear that it would sell out. 😊 Colorful Hands was a heartfelt experience where everyone added their unique touch to paint a beautiful picture that brings new colors, unforgettable memories, and awareness into my life.

Thank you Borusan Cat, Okyanus Gönüllüleri, and Tomurcuk Cooperative!
I look forward to participating in new activities!