I'm running a half marathon in February for a fantastic small charity - Asian Women Lone Parents Association (AWLPA) that I have been a Trustee of for a few years. AWLPA works to support Asian women who are lone parents, and their children, by providing services that enables them to improve their lives and well-being. I'm incredibly proud to be supporting such a fantastic charity.
The smallest donation will make a real and tangible difference in the lives of these mothers and their children.
Service users are mainly first generation migrants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and more recently British born second and third generation of South Asian heritage and tend to be between the ages of 18 to 55 years old. They have often been through a difficult journey of domestic violence including physical, financial and emotional abuse impacting on them and their children. The decision to leave their marriage is courageous for the women. Unfortunately this is not often perceived as such by family and the wider community leading to stigmatisation, isolation and loneliness for the mother and child/children due to the taboo associated with divorce and separation, particularly for a woman, within the Asian Community. This often leads to poor mental and physical health not only for the mother but also for the children. The situation is often exacerbated when the client cannot communicate in English depriving them and their families of mainstream provision and services often leading to a life of poverty, unemployment and dependency on benefits.
Our support includes one to one, information, guidance, advocacy, referrals, signposting, connection to other women and networks and empowerment through workshops, activities, training, skills, volunteering, individual and group work.
With your help we can provide more services to more women and help to improve their well-being and that of their families.
Thank you for your support!
Warmly.
Ommera xx
