Last month’s blog focused on Associate Minister Sarah Matthews’ reflections as she said goodbye to ECFC. Today our blog comes direct from Sadaga’s 20th anniversary celebration full of vibrancy, colour, flavour and multi-lingual Arabic and Englishness at ECFC. To some extent this was a coming of age for Sadaga looking forward to their future of becoming an organisation in their own right albeit still based at ECFC.
History
Sadaga was established in 2006 by two ladies who met at the ECFC Stay and Play. They envisioned a space for women’s Arabic speaking… and Sadaga was born. Sadaga is a mark of ECFC distinctiveness. A great part of our story. Today’s event is a particularly rich mix of nationalities reflecting and celebrating the significant impacts that Sadaga has been for a generation of women under the ECFC administrative umbrella.
Sadaga has a membership of more than 200 Arabic speaking women from more than 13 countries (we heard a medley of national anthems from UAE, Yemen, Bahrain, Oman, Sudan, Palestine, South Sudan, Tunisia, Libya, Lebanon, Morocco, Somalia, Comoros, Djibouti, Iraq with spontaneous applause representing pride for home and a place today to celebrate these feelings). These women continue to meet weekly on a Friday morning at ECFC to converse, learn and support one another, and share a meal.
Azza Mustafa leads Sadaga and speaks powerfully about the work of Sadaga creating happier and healthier communities, making the following points:
- Sadaga is all about learning Arabic language. As well as those who grew up with the language there are a few students newer to the language.
- But Sadaga learning is much wider, looking to extend support networks, reduce isolation and find fun and friendship for women at the group. And also about facilitating women’s formal education and transition into work. And along the way improving health and wellbeing in the lives of the women and their families.
- The size of Sadaga’s membership and length of its operation is a measure of success. It is meeting its aims in empowering women. This includes brave work tackling head-on sensitive topics including health awareness, sex and relationships, knife crime, bullying, drugs, wearing the Hijab and intergenerational issues.
- Raising awareness for members of the UK system of schooling and education has been a core way to enable families in their journey into life in the UK.
- Also helping women feel safe and secure in their day-today life in the community.
- A successful tool has been Sadaga recruiting Education Champions from its membership to grow leadership skills and this in turn has provided a way into employment for some.
- Sadaga shares learning at other geographical sites in Bristol, providing education to Arabic speakers on the subject of sex and relationship education supported by Bristol City Council.
Stronger and more confident
As well celebrating 20 years we also celebrate Sadaga’s growing up and confidence to move on…as this group is transitioning from coming under the ECFC administrative umbrella to become its own Community Interest Company and hiring office space at ECFC.
Sadaga partnerships with many groups for example with Bristol City Council. Mohamed El Sharif speaks to the impact of Sadaga through the years, both when he worked for the NHS and now as a leader in BCC. Mohammed recognises the importance of strong leaders in the community from the level of the family up. Sadaga by building leadership among their women ensure individuals from this group are becoming real assets to the city and to the country and its future.
ECFC is the heart of Sadaga. David Moore, our Vicar reflects how well the Sadaga agenda of empowering and supporting women is going so that their women find a home and place in their heart at ECFC. We are keen to carry on learning from each other. After 20 years of growing in confidence, Sadaga now focuses on what is next – and we at ECFC will love to continue to grow together in understanding and working together, continuing to empower our women and children. Azza agreed that we will continue to work together and support each other in love.
Breaking bread, sharing prayer and friendship
And of course, the celebration was completed with food which is also foundational to Sadaga: both the week-by-week enjoyment of members eating together but also the development of skills such as cooking.
Let’s keep learning, growing together and sharing our stories. Enjoying our journey together. After the speeches, Oumaima who cooks for us (both at Baraka café and Sadaga) opened her heart and prayed. Together we share the food, we share stories old and new, with friends old and new.
Do pray for the ongoing story as we journey together.