Heba. This is an Arabic name derived for
the Quran, which means gift or blessing.
Nestled on Brick Lane in London’s East you
will find women from South Asia, Africa and the Middle East who embody the
meaning of this word. They have arrived in London from vast and varied
circumstances and their new life in the UK is just that - a gift and a
blessing.
In search of direction, community and a
sense of home, more than 300 migrant women a year come to the organisation
rightly named the Heba Women’s Project.
Some stay just a few months; for others, it’s a lifetime affair, returning time
and time again for the friendship and the support. Regardless – each woman
leaves Heba feeling different. Changed even. Empowered.
And the key to this empowerment? The safe
space, the people and the learning opportunities most certainly help but the
real elevator – the ultimate personal endorsement - is commitment. Commitment
on behalf of each woman to be open, listen and try.
The project was started 24 years ago by
eight Bangladeshi women, wives of leather workers, who needed a space of their own for informal
study and problem sharing. New to London – and its people, cultural norms,
working environment and family demands - the women realised that there were
many other new women to London who felt just as lost. These founding members
were provided a room among the vintage boutiques and curry restaurants on Brick
Lane by the Spitafields Small Business Association, a not-for-profit organisation
which supports community and socially-minded initiatives take flight.
What has developed is a centre which provides
more than 300 women a year from diverse cultural backgrounds with a safe space
to make new friends and connections, learn valuable knowledge and skills, and
engage in enterprise activities to meet their individual needs and family
commitments.
I walked into the centre just on lunchtime
as spoonfulls of couscous, shepherds’ pie, lentils and beans were being dished
up. There was a constant hum of chatter and spikes of laughter as the women
caught up after the morning session of classes.
