Zimem Defteri is a traditional form of social solidarity dating back to the Ottoman era. In local neighborhoods, small shopkeepers, especially grocery stores, would allow regular customers to purchase basic necessities on credit and record the amount owed in a ledger.
During Ramadan, benefactors would visit these shops and anonymously pay off some of the outstanding debts without knowing who the debt belonged to. In return, the people whose debts were cleared would never know who had helped them. The tradition was built around generosity, dignity, and discreet support for those in need.
The Gaziantep Governor’s Office, representing the Republic of Türkiye at the provincial level, revived this tradition by helping settle outstanding store-credit debts through donations from benefactors.
This poster was designed for the Gaziantep Governor’s Office to announce that the outstanding debts had been cleared and to identify the participating businesses.
