“I have been a revert for the past 9 years but I still struggled with a drug addiction. Earlier this year I was released from prison on a Drug Treatment Order. At first, I thought I was back at square 1, fighting a drug addiction and trying to flee a lifestyle I have known since I was 14 years old. I am now 35 yrs old and knew I needed more than just a team of workers helping me. What I needed was a whole new family of friends and a strong community that could not only help me, but lead and nurture me through my new journey. Then one day I got in contact with Melbourne Muslimahs. It was the first time in my life where I knew in my heart that I was making the right direction to move forward in my life. Melbourne Muslimahs haven’t just helped me here and there, they have been at my side throughout my journey."

“I am a revert that came to Islam through the influence of a non practicing man. He is a drug dealer and regularly assaulted me in front of my young son from a previous relationship. Eventually child protection services took my son off me, sending him interstate with an intervention order preventing my husband within 200m of him. Allah lead me to social support through Melbourne Muslimahs and over time the positive influence of our sisters gave me hope that if I sincerely wanted a different situation I was able to see this as a reality. Once I was ready to make solid change our sisters facilitated me physically leaving my marriage and I was recently granted a divorce. I am now with my son interstate but am isolated from any sisterhood where we are so hope to be back in Melbourne by Ramadan to start a new life surrounded by sisters that offer solid friendship, not just help from afar.”

"My family is mostly interstate so when my marriage broke down I was able to leave with my baby safely with the help of Melbourne Muslimahs. They guided me through the right steps of accessing emergency accommodation, necessities I was unable to leave with and involving VicPol to a level I was comfortable with. I am now about to move into permanent housing in a new area. I really look forward to joining events after lockdown to settle into my new life moving forward with new friends"