How it all began…
We found that there was a lot of frustration, especially amongst young Muslim women at the lack of safe spaces available for us to discuss stigmatised topics that directly affected our community. Through our research we found similar issues in many different communities.
And so in 2018 Hawaa Empowerment was born. We dreamt of a space where women from all walks of life could come and find safety, compassion and community. In this space we wanted to empower the women in our communities and realised the best way to do this was via facilitating access to healthcare related topics.
Now, years on, we are incredibly grateful and blessed for Hawaa Empowerment’s growth as well as the valuable community we have established. We use Islamic teachings and our love and reliance on Allah to guide us. We hope to continue to serve our community in various ways and are excited for the future.
After assessing the needs of women in our communities, we have identified three key areas of healthcare that determine the types of events we host and facilitate.
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Physical health
Physical health encompasses many topics ranging from sexual health, chronic conditions, gynaecological conditions, pre and post natal health amongst many others. We recognise the importance of tackling these issues through education which in turn can empower those affected. At Hawaa Empowerment we discuss, dissect and provide solutions to these problems all within a safe space curated by professionals in the field.
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Mental health
Mental health is a taboo issue in many communities. Mental health is also heavily intertwined with many societal problems such as domestic abuse, sexual abuse, poverty and much more. At Hawaa Empowerment we address these problems, deliver practical solutions and support those affected.
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Community wellbeing
Having a community is an essential part of the human experience. We firmly believe that individual healing is linked to societal healing. At Hawaa Empowerment we aim to build sisterhood which fosters authenticity. We have created a safe judgement-free space, without the pressures of societal or cultural expectations.
We nourish this sense of community through our social events alongside our educational events. Creating sustainable change is monumental in the work that we do. This includes advocating for the minorities, the oppressed and the silenced.