When One of Us Needs Help: Smileys Stands With Tetiana After the Maltepe Building Collapse

What Happened in Maltepe

At approximately 5:40 a.m. on Thursday, October 8, 2026, a residential building partially collapsed in the Cevizli neighborhood of Maltepe, on Istanbul’s Asian side.

Emergency services responded to the incident, which resulted in fatalities and injuries. Rescue teams worked at the scene throughout the morning.

Our condolences go to the families who lost loved ones, and we wish those injured a full recovery.

Among those affected was Tetiana, a member of Smileys Community.

According to information shared with our team, Tetiana managed to escape safely, taking only her personal documents and a few clothes. She lost her home and most of her belongings.

She now faces the immediate challenge of finding somewhere to live and replacing essential personal items.

How Smileys Members Are Helping

As soon as we informed our community about Tetiana’s situation, members began reaching out with offers of support.

Several people offered temporary accommodation, while others volunteered financial assistance, clothing, household essentials, and contacts who might help with housing.

Tetiana currently has somewhere to stay for approximately one week. This provides some immediate relief, but finding stable, longer-term accommodation remains our main priority.

We appreciate everyone who has reached out, including members who don’t know Tetiana personally but still want to help.

Coordinating the Support

To organize the offers of assistance, Smileys has formed a volunteer coordination team consisting of Cenk, Laura, Nour, Cansu and Nate.

The team is working to:

• Identify suitable accommodation options.

• Coordinate financial donations and essential supplies.

• Connect volunteers with specific needs.

• Keep members informed about progress and priorities.

Members have already started contributing financially. Donations and offers of assistance are being tracked, and updates will be shared through our dedicated support group.

Our aim is to ensure that help is organized, transparent, and directed toward Tetiana’s actual needs.

What Tetiana Needs Right Now

Our immediate focus is finding Tetiana safe and stable accommodation.

Beyond housing, she will need support with everyday expenses and replacing essential belongings.

There are several ways members can help:

• Accommodation: A spare room, apartment, or reliable housing contact for the coming weeks or months.

• Financial contributions: Donations of any amount to help cover immediate expenses. We can coordinate transfers through Turkish banks and international contributions in euros, British pounds, or US dollars.

• Essential items: Clothing, personal necessities, and household items based on confirmed needs.

• Practical assistance: Help with transportation, housing searches, and other arrangements.

To make coordination easier and avoid unnecessary duplication, please contact the volunteer team before arranging donations or delivering items.

We will continue sharing updates as accommodation arrangements and other support efforts progress.

The Value of Community

Smileys was created to bring expats, international students, digital nomads, and globally minded locals together through real-life activities and shared experiences.

Most of our activities focus on meeting people, building friendships, and enjoying life in Istanbul.

But having a community also means having people to turn to when unexpected situations arise.

The response to Tetiana’s situation has shown how connections made through social events and everyday interactions can translate into practical support.

Some members have offered accommodation. Others have contributed financially or volunteered their time. Every offer helps.

We started Smileys to help people connect and build friendships in Istanbul. Situations like this remind us that those connections can also provide meaningful support when someone needs it.

Thank you to everyone who has offered accommodation, made a donation, volunteered, or shared useful contacts.

Our focus now is helping Tetiana find stable accommodation and get back on her feet.

She may have lost her home, but she hasn’t lost her community.