The Hamara Centre hosted its annual Eid Eve Celebrations, A ladies only event which has become a regular feature on the community calendar.
Shanah Amjad and Sara Keita from Women’s Information & Support Hub were invited by Nasreen Akhtar, Coordinator of ECHO, Hamara’s Women’s support service based in Harehills.
Chand Raath roughly translated means “night of the full moon”, this is a traditional South Asian festival that comes at the end of Ramadan, the Muslims month of fasting. The evening started with a traditional Iftari ”End of days fasting” and continued into the evening, with all proceeding to be given to charity.
The evening Friday 17th August, saw Hamara full of bright colours and lovely scented smells fill the air. Henna, Facials, Head Massage, and traditions clothing and accessories were some of the items available. The evening helped the women of the local community to come together and celebrate this festival.
Young women from the local area had spent the day baking buns and which they were selling to help in this charitable event. The Islamic arts stall had hand painted canvases of excerpts of the Qur’an “the Muslim’s holy book” which went with the Islamic theme of the event.
Shanah Amjad of WISH said;
“Events like this highlighted both women in community and the grass roots economic aspect of the Chand Raath festival. Having events like this, which empower and enable local women to utilise community spaces equally should happen more often”
her colleague Sara Keita commented.
“It was an amazing night were women came together at Hamara, eating together, getting to know one another, having their hair and nails done, decorating their hands with henna and looking through the clothes and accessories”
The evening was totally devoted to the women of the community and was an important date on the South Asian Women’s social calendar.
Written by: S.Sheikh – Migrant Community Network
Photos By : S Amjad
Leeds Wellbeing Web 