SAWA Women's Space
Sawa is a women and children only space that is held in Quaker Meeting House in Central Belfast 2 days a week. The women who attend decide what services are delivered. Our overall aim for the Sawa women’s project is to create a space where women can come together, share knowledge, assist each other with accessing services, employment, and education, have child-free time, attend training and information sessions, and show solidarity to others through shared struggle. We also want to create a place where women are free to laugh and enjoy time together. We have allowed women to use the space to celebrate cultural and traditional celebrations such as EID, Ramadan, and Easter.
All sessions are child-friendly and public transport costs are refunded to the participants. At the start of the project and every 6 months the group does a brainstorming session about the activities and workshops that they would like to do over the coming months. Here are some of the examples of what we have been up to:
A workshop with an immigration law expert on the Asylum appeals process
A workshop with the North Belfast regional Education officer on the education system in NI
A workshop with a representative from the NHS on the national health service
A trip to the beach in Holywood
A workshop on people’s rights in asylum accommodation
A day out to Glasgow
A visit to Grow’s community garden
A bread making workshop with Love Works Cooperative
A group trip to the Duncairn’s Sunday Sessions event
A trip to Cave Hill Country Park
A workshop on the Open University and Workers Unions with Fidelma from Unison
A workshop with representatives from Women’s Aid











More recently some of the things that have been happening in Sawa include women’s only yoga, Zumba, rowing with Lagan Carraghs, Prism – project connecting refugee women with Belfast born carer group, sewing group, English classes, fundraiser for one of the members who recently passed away, campaigning for childcare in asylum interviews, using the space for cultural celebrations and a wedding.