This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of the Bohra women of Nottingham who make and sell decorative bags all over the world.
TGB by Sherwood Specials is a not-for-profit business initiative run by women from the Dawoodi Bohra community of Nottingham. Women and girls from age eight to 80 volunteer their time to make beautiful gift bags that are sold all over the world, with all profits reinvested into the local community.
Every year, the world comes together on 8th March to celebrate the achievements of women in various facets of life. International Women’s Day is also a call to action to bring stories of empowered women to the fore. Dawoodi Bohras everywhere welcome the goal of International Women’s Day to create a world where women’s contribution…
During the recent cold weather and winter storms, the Dawoodi Bohras of Nottingham organised a collection of warm clothing to benefit local vulnerable people in need of support.
“What do you want to be when you grow up, Jamila?” the kindergarten teacher asked.
“An author,” she replied, without hesitation.
Jamila Khambalia is a tax accountant and mother of two. She has always had a love of the English language, and enjoyed creative writing as a child. Despite ultimately choosing a very different career path, her passion to be an author continued to burn at the back of her mind.
Many people continue to struggle during the coronavirus pandemic and this was further exacerbated by Storm Eunice which impacted much of England. The compounding effect of coronavirus and unprecedented climate disruption makes food banks across the UK a primary source of relief. In an effort to raise awareness of food insecurity and support the hungry, the Dawoodi Bohras of London organised a collection of food and useful items for the Ealing and Slough food banks in the Greater London area following Storm Eunice.
Parents initiated a system using existing communication platforms to remind parents to Lateral Flow test their children and bring the results on Saturday morning when they came for drop off. A dedicated team of community members and parents arrive early every Saturday to set up testing checkpoints, offer advice on the importance of testing, and provide self-testing on site if needed. As a result, the vast majority of children have been testing every week at home on Saturdays and understand the importance of doing so.
Drawing inspiration from Macmillan’s “World’s Biggest Coffee Morning”, the Ladies of London organised their very own “Afternoon Chai” event, selling both sweet and savoury items such as cakes, cookies, samosas and chaat, with endless cups of spiced Indian chai. There was something for every taste, including a chocolate fountain, fresh waffles and even a face painting station for children.
Children from the Dawoodi Bohra community of Nottingham have been studying food insecurity in their city and taking practical steps to support their local Trussell Trust food bank. Maryam and Taher Adamjee are siblings and young members of the Dawoodi Bohras’ Nottingham community. Maryam said, “The head of the Dawoodi Bohras, His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal…
As part of the Dawoodi Bohras’ Project Rise initiative, members of the Bradford community battled through the snow to participate in the planting of 10,000 trees for Bradford Council’s ‘Tree for Every Child’ scheme.
To encourage its members to start including physical activity in their daily lives – and to bring families and friends together again – the Dawoodi Bohras of Leicester organized a community walk around the city’s beautiful Victoria Park.