QED Foundation has been helping transform people’s lives in Bradford and beyond for more than 30 years, and to celebrate International Women’s Day the national charity today (March 8) brought together some of the thousands of women it has supported so they could share their stories.
Among those who attended the event at QED Foundation’s office in Bradford was Rosemin Khalifa, who came to the UK from Gujarat, in India, more than five years ago.
When she first arrived, she was unable to speak English and the only people she knew were her husband and mother-in-law.
Rosemin, now a mother of two, said she struggled to find work which left her feeling lonely and isolated. However, having young children prompted her to start English language courses which have boosted her self-confidence.
“I feel like I have come a long way since attending the classes at QED,” she said. “It was a big shock coming here from India, but I wouldn’t change it for anything and I’m really happy to be here. I love this country because it has given me freedom and the people have encouraged me.”
Moroccan-born Aicha Sadiki spent 20 years living in Italy before moving to Bradford, where her sister lived, a few years ago to start a new life with her husband and two daughters.
Aicha struggled to get a job initially because she did not speak English, but undeterred she began studying language classes at QED. “The staff here really supported me and made me feel important and now I want to help other people who come here and can’t speak the language. That would give me a lot of satisfaction,” she said.
Adeeba Malik, Deputy Chief Executive of QED Foundation, is a big advocate of International Women’s Day but believes the focus should not solely be on famous role models.
“International Women’s Day isn’t just about the highflyers who have done really well, for me it’s also about recognising the importance of supporting those women who are new arrivals in this country and taking the first steps on their journey to improving their quality of life,” she said.
The Bradford-based organisation helps around 1,000 people every year, nearly three-quarters of which are women, equipping them with practical skills that enable them to play an active role in their community.
Ms Malik said: “Much of our work focuses on those who come from disadvantaged communities and need a helping hand. We provide people, women in particular, with a safe and friendly environment and our aim is to build women’s confidence so they can do more for themselves. This is really important because we don’t want them to come to us and then stop, we want them to keep on developing so they can build better lives.”
QED Foundation provides support to women from 26 countries around the world, including in South Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. “We support women of different nationalities here in the UK whether it’s to help them with their language skills, integration, or citizenship,” Ms Malik added.
Mohammed Ali, founder and Chief Executive of QED Foundation, said: “Supporting women is at the heart of what we do at QED. This has been a big part of our agenda for over three decades and during this time we’ve made a huge contribution to women’s lives.”
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