Providing safety and support for people experiencing domestic abuse.
Since 1984 Islamic Relief has saved and transformed over 120 million lives. By responding to disasters, rebuilding lives and preparing people in case disaster strikes - we save lives before they are lost
Southern Women’s Aid Network (SWAN) is a UK registered charity (1188649) which was founded by women and is led and operated by women. SWAN has been operating since 2012 in London and has been a recognised provider of food support via the foodbank it runs for South London Islamic Centre for the past 9 years. Since the Covid19 pandemic it has responded to the needs of the community by working in collaboration with other grassroot organisations; to provide doorstep food packs to vulnerable individuals and families across London. SWAN has also been providing aid to refugees in Greece since 2018 and works in partnership with other charities to reach struggling families in wartorn and poverty stricken countries abroad. Due to the unprecedented nature, spread and devastation caused by Covid19, many families and communities are struggling and find it particularly difficult coping with financial demands. Over the past year we have been inundated with requests for support from vulnerable families. At SWAN we feel it is incumbent upon us as Muslims and aid providers to do whatever we can to help families in our local community and around the world. Since the Covid19 restrictions in March 2020 started, SWAN have provided hundreds of food packs to vulnerable families and served thousands of meals from our weekly soup kitchens and through homeless outreach initiatives in London. Furthermore, through our Refugee outreach project we have provided everything from baby milk to bicycles to refugees around London. We have also provided food and essential items to women and their children who have suffered domestic violence and are living in refuges. Our relief efforts abroad have provided essential aid to countless families in Bosnia, Lebanon, Yemen, Greece and Azerbaijan. Our Bread project in Lesvos, Greece has provided a minimum of 3000 flatbreads every week to refugees who often have nothing else to eat. We have also coordinated van loads of aid for Syrian refugees and have implemented the installation of 11 water pumps and provided microfinance business grants to families in Pakistan to encourage lasting change. This Ramadan we are reaching those most in need. In London many vulnerable individuals and families who have always relied on mosques for hot meals in Ramadan will struggle. We are ensuring that these individuals and families have access to nutritious and wholesome food during Ramadan. SWAN is doing whatever we can to ensure that no one goes hungry during the month of Ramadan. Since Ramadan started SWAN have mobilised the South London community for contributions for our Ramadan soup kitchens and have successfully provided over 4500 meals at two soup kitchens in London. We have also carried out a number of other projects in the Uk and abroad. Inclduing providing hundreds of food packs in Yemen, Pakistan and Yemen; providing thousands of flatbreads each week to refugees in Lesvos and sending aid in containers to Yemen. We also plan to provide iftars in the last ten nights to 280 orphans on the Ivory Coast and sponsor 100 orphans with school and madrasa fees for the whole year. Our work provides a vital service locally and will ensure that the most vulnerable in South London and in hundreds of families abroad are taken care of during Ramadan.
