After our model project For me, for us and everyone, showed last year in Leipzig-Grünau how much potential there is in the Muslim community, we can now also look back on a successful second round of projects in the east of Leipzig. The basic concept of the project remained the same: Through the possibility of implementing their own ideas into concrete projects based on local needs, Muslim women were to help shape their social environment in a self-determined way and, thus, become empowered.
The implementation of the project was made possible by the Heidehof Foundation, which made the second project round of For me, us and everyone possible in the first place.
One of the project’s goals was to consolidate the projects that had been developed in the first round and, at best, to expand them with further individual projects. Unlike the first round, we had a lot more time this time. Once again, thanks to the Heidehof Foundation. In fact, the project was scheduled for six months this time as well. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we were allowed to extend the project. This made the cooperation much easier, especially under the pandemic-related restrictions, as many meetings unfortunately had to be suspended until the end of April. In May, weekly meetings in small groups were finally possible and the first projects could start; A computer course for women under the leadership of Halima, who is studying computer science, and an Arabic course for adult women under the guidance of Hiyam, who had already been involved in the model project of the previous year.
A highlight was definitely the gallery that the women organised on 25 July in the Inclusive Neighbourhood Centre at Lindenauer Markt. Works of art produced by the women in regular upcycling meetings were exhibited there. Fortunately, before the second lockdown in late autumn, two planned workshops on project management and advertising and social media could be held. We thank Fia („Frauen in Arbeit“) and Mio („interkultureller Mädchentreff“) very much for their support and for making their premises available. These are cooperations that we hope to expand in a third round of the project.
However, of course, the ideas of the women and the projects that developed from them were the central focus. The goal here was to develop four projects and secure them in the long term. In the end, thanks to the great commitment of the women, the final number was seven:
- Ladies Sunday / Beauty Salon
- Computer course for women
- German tutoring for women
- Conversation course in Arabic
- Ladies Gallery (Upcycling)
- Creative course
- Arabic for children
Cooperation partners or contact points have already been found for all these projects, so that they can and will continue to exist.
The knowledge imparted in the workshops also enabled the participants to implement their own projects and thus help shape the social environment in which they live. The need for a continuation of the project became more than clear to us during the course of the project. There are still unmet needs and unexploited potential in the Muslim community. We are, therefore, planning a third round of the project For me, us and everyone in Leipzig. This time, it will even be citywide, as we are now receiving requests from women in various parts of the city who would like to implement their own ideas with our support.
To conclude, we would like to thank all supporters and participants for their effort and commitment.
