Supporting refugee women to rebuild their lives on their own terms
“Women for Refugee Women helps me to understand my potential. Coming here allows me to be in my element with people around me who understand what I have been through.”
We support women in the UK who are seeking safety from persecution, including rape and other torture, to rebuild their lives and communicate their own needs and stories.
Women seek safety in the UK having survived extreme violence and dangerous journeys, only to find new challenges when they arrive here.
The asylum process often subjects vulnerable women to the 3 D’s: disbelief, detention and destitution. Women’s stories are too often silenced or denied. And if women are denied asylum in the UK, they can be re-traumatised through indefinite detention. Or, they may be made destitute, with no access to any housing or financial support.
To make change, women’s voices need to be heard. Through our programme of creative and educational activities, we support a network of over 800 refugee and asylum-seeking women to develop their confidence and skills. Every woman who joins our network will find a welcoming and supportive space in which she can meet other refugee women in the UK and begin to rebuild her life, whether that be through speaking her first words of English, or leading campaigns for a fairer asylum system in the UK.
Our impact (January 25 - December 25)
Our community is made up of over
760 women
From over
44 countries
around the world
Over
520 sessions
of our creative and educational activities took place
Our activities were facilitated by our wonderful team of
40 volunteers
including six refugee women from our network
Over 80%
of women reported significant improvements in their confidence, wellbeing and access to opportunities as a result of our activities
We delivered over
500 in-house advice appointments
ensuring women receive expert asylum and legal advice in a safe and trusted environment
Over 100 women
were supported to access essential services such as foodbanks, housing and clothing
Over 290 women
were supported in immigration detention with hardship grants, casework support, referrals to legal advice, and pastoral care
Rainbow Sisters – our solidarity group for LGBTQ+ women seeking safety in the UK – grew to an impressive
196 members
“I built my confidence through the activities. One thing that is very special at WRW is the level of care they give to you. The hospitality, the love… that is what makes WRW so special to me.”
"Life wasn't easy for me before... but when I joined WRW, all my anxieties, worries and loneliness disappeared."
– Joy
"Rainbow Sisters means a lot to me. It has changed me. I see myself, I believe in myself, I can be myself no matter what."
– Vicky
