By Kiran Ansari
July/August 2023
“My life took a horrific turn when one day in winter, my children and I came home to find our belongings in bags outside our home,” said Hala*. With two children in tow, I spent the day at the nearest mall to stay warm, but when the mall was about to close, I knew I needed to find a place to stay for the night. I went from shelter to shelter, only to be turned away because they just didn’t have space. Finally, I found Nisa Homes online and called them straight away. Alhumdulillah, they sent an Uber to pick us up and bring us to their Transitional Home. A caseworker was waiting to get us settled despite it being after hours. The women at Nisa Homes helped me secure a job in a local school. With this job, I was able to save enough to move my children into an apartment of our own and provide for them.”
Hala’s is just one story on the Nisa Homes blog. In a society where many sweep domestic violence under the rug, there are some that become agents of change.
Muslims are not immune to domestic violence and abuse. If critical services are not offered, battered women could have to continue living in dangerous circumstances. Abusers can become more enabled when they feel they can get away with anything. Research has shown that if women are able to connect with their community, they have a better chance of recovering from trauma.
Nisa Homes is the leading Muslim organization in Canada with 9 transitional homes in 5 provinces. A transitional home is not a domestic violence shelter. It is a safe place for women to get back on their feet again. 63% of the clients that come to Nisa Homes face domestic violence, 21% are homeless, 11% are refugees, and 5% face poverty.
Nisa Homes envisions a flourishing Muslim community in which help is available, shelter is attainable, and healing is possible. They provide confidential counseling, financial assistance, help with immigration status, a children’s program, spiritual support, and much more. They provide assistance in Arabic, Urdu, Somali, and Gujrati. Find out more at www.nisahomes.com
ICNA Relief is also making strides with 24 transitional homes across the U.S. In 2022 alone, they had helped 166 women and 101 children with housing needs. Since 2009, they have helped provide more than 27,000 nights of safety to women and children.
Their caseworkers vet clients who meet their eligibility criteria and are willing to follow the program. Transitional housing means that the women are motivated to look for work and become independent – ideally within six months. ICNA Relief helps by providing them with mentors who help direct them towards government assistance, job search, English classes, driving lessons, and so on. ICNA Relief maintains the dignity of their clients while affording them the opportunity to heal and develop themselves within a nurturing environment. Find out more at www.icnarelief.org/transitional-housing
Kiran Ansari is the Assistant Editor of Islamic Horizons. She has been living in the suburbs of Chicago for the last 24 years.
*Few names have been changed for confidentiality
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