Women for Refugee Women

Meet Lilah and Carenza. They are the amazing women that help keep everything running at Women for Refugee Women.

If only charities like this didn’t have to exist. But as Women for Refugee Women have said, ‘The inbuilt inhumanity of the asylum system means that women seeking safety are disbelieved by default, heartlessly detained at random and are often left to ‘live’ in atrocious accommodation.’  This charity is truly incredible and functions on three different levels to help refugee women in this country.

Women for Refugee Women Welcome Every Woman, helping women rebuild their lives on their own terms. They have an incredibly welcoming space and empower women, helping them to find their own voices by offering creative and practical classes, where they also connect with each other. It’s a true Persisterhood, where friendships between women offer understanding, recognition and comfort. I’ve been lucky enough to attend several events with poetry readings and songs. There is no better way to break down barriers than hearing someone tell their own story.

And that’s what this incredible charity understands: ‘When women tell their own stories, they can change minds and build understanding about what it means to seek safety in the UK.’  They support refugee and asylum seeking women speaking to the media, parliamentarians and at events. This Thursday their drama group will be performing Lost and Found at the Southbank Centre in London.  

And finally, they work towards change, offering legal advice to the women and publishing research on their experiences, all while working with policy makers to make the case for a fairer asylum process, and campaigning to make these changes. You can read their statement on the cruel Rwanda Bill here.

Deputy Director, Andrea Vukovic, said: 

At Women for Refugee Women, we are appalled that the UK Government has persistently pursued this cruel and harmful plan, despite its illegality and unworkability.   We will continue to stand firm against this plan which threatens to dismantle the UK’s refugee protection system. As the Bill makes its way back to the House of Lords, we urge Peers to continue to reject it and to ensure the UK is a safe, supportive and welcoming place for people in need of safety.

I was absolutely delighted when they offered to model the latest Courage Collection. This is E a member of Women for Refugee Women who came to the UK seeking safety. She said, ‘I had to be courageous for a long time in my journey. I feel proud to wear this necklace to remind me of how brave and strong I am.' E wears the new Courage necklace in chalk pink.  

View the new Courage Collection