Saheliya 30 years

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Saheliya. During this time we have grown to be a vital grassroots organisation in Glasgow, Edinburgh and surrounding areas for women experiencing racial inequality and gender based violence.

In this time, we have seen the number of women seeking our support increase. And in this time, we have also seen little to no change in mainstream service provision for our service-users.

What started in a small room in Edinburgh by two staff members have become an essential support organisation and safe haven for women reaching 987 women and young girls from 52 countries this year alone.

Throughout the years our staff team have remained creative, adaptive and flexible in providing essential wrap around support by using a holistic range of services including counselling, practical support and advocacy, complementary therapies, outreach, group work and Young Saheliya.

In 2023 we will continue to not only promote mental wellbeing, reduce stigma of mental health and improve access to mainstream services; we will also ramp up our campaigning efforts for a fairer, and anti-racist system that meets the needs of our women and girls.

Winter Newsletter

Did you miss our winter newsletter?

Not a problem, here is a link to find out what we have been up to, what we have planned and how to get involved

New Year new Access 2 Safety Training

This January we started our new Access 2 Safety course in Edinburgh with a group of fantastic women!

The aim of Access 2 Safety training is to help women support their children growing up in Scotland as well as become more informed and active citizens.

This 9 week course covers topics such as parenting, law and rights, how to access services in Scotland as well as recognise a suspected mental health condition and the skills to start a conversation around mental health.

When completing a course students will receive certificates for the full course as well as a formal SQA Level 4 First Aid for Mental Health Awareness course.

Why racial and gender representation matters in charity boards

“At Saheliya there isn’t a minority voice. There are people like you- with similar experiences, around the table”

Thank you Charity So White for sharing our blog. See here the Chair of our Board, Shruti Jain discuss the importance of racial and gender representation on charity boards. From experience as the only BAME woman on Board, to leading an all BAME woman board here at Saheliya.

Women Supporting Women

Women Supporting Women
We really appreciate, value, and respect our wonderful staff and volunteers who continue to work over and above all expectations supporting women and young women. We are also inspired by the resilience of the women we support and the trust they have in us to advocate on their behalf.
Many of our staff are ex-service users, nearly all are from the communities we serve; we all have an understanding of how race, gender and culture affect the mental well-being of BAME women; many of us have lived experience of the problems our service users face. 

Read our Women Supporting Women’ blog here highlighting the work we have been doing throughout Covid period.

Is Lockdown raising risk to BAME women’s safety and wellbeing

“Is lockdown raising risk to BAME women’s safety and wellbeing in Scotland?”

Read an interview here with the Chair of our Board, Shruti Jain In STV News discussing how for black, minority ethnic, asylum seeker and refugee women, coronavirus has presented urgency to many challenges.

Voices: Saheliya

“Without trauma awareness alongside cultural knowledge and support in first languages, women cannot progress to wellbeing, active citizenship, or independence”

Read below Robertson Trust’s Voices blog about Saheliya’s work.
Blog: Voices-Saheliya

Parenting For Safety

Since 2019 we have been running a specialist, ‘Parenting for Safety’ project funded by Cattanach Charitable Trust.
This vital service supports families where children are experiencing behavioral problems as well mother and child bonding issues in cases of extreme trauma.

See here more information about our ‘Parenting for Safety’ service

Wonderboxes

In partnership with Children’s University Scotland we were able to provide Wonderboxes to 200 children in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
These activity boxes made such a difference, especially during these challenging times!

See here for further information and what Fatima, aged 9, did with her box.

Kiltwalk – Raise Money for Saheliya

There’s still time to join the virtual Kiltwalk and raise much needed funds for Saheliya. Go for a walk, a cycle, jump on a trampoline, or even a family scavenger hunt!

For more info see here https://thekiltwalk.co.uk
Everything you raise will be topped up by 50% thanks to Sir Tom Hunter and The Hunter Foundation.