Turkey’s first ever sheltered housing project for transgender women has opened in Istanbul.

The housing, which was opened by 39-year-old Öykü Aym, was mainly funded though donations, including at a fashion show featuring trans women.

“God helped us and we opened our first trans shelter house. A million thanks to all the girls. This incident has cheered us up,” Aym said in an interview with Radikal.

Currently a guesthouse, Aym said she hoped to be able to transform it into a two-floor sheltered house.

“That night I cried … Everything was great and we collected 40,000 liras [£11,000],” said Ay of the night of the fashion show.